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Middle East to lead the way in mobile data growth, predicts Cisco study [Seven Days (United Arab Emirates)]
[February 16, 2014]

Middle East to lead the way in mobile data growth, predicts Cisco study [Seven Days (United Arab Emirates)]


(Seven Days (United Arab Emirates) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Data traffic will grow faster in the Middle East and Africa region than anywhere else in the world over the next four years, according to a study by IT giant Cisco. The firm predicts that mobile data traffic in the region will increase by 14-fold between 2013 and 2018.



The growth is being driven by the uptake of smartphones and tablets that use Internet Protocol version 6 (Ipv6), with a compounded annual growth rate of 35 per cent.

At that speed,?Cisco predicts ownership of the devices will rise in the region from 133 million in 2013 to almost 598 million in 2018.


And it said that smart wearable devices, such watches, glasses and fitness trackers, are expected to help feed data growth – with ownership surging from 700,000 last year to eight million in 2018.

"As our personal and business lives become increasingly mobile, MEA is really coming to the fore as early, widespread adopters of the latest smartphone and wearable technology," said Cisco regional sales manager and client director Fady Younes.

"Driven by one of the most tech-receptive and youthful populations on the planet, this is a region that is now extremely well-placed to lead technological innovation in all aspects of daily life and business, leveraging the emerging power of the 'Internet of Everything' and faster mobile data networks," added Younes.

The Cisco Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2013 to 2018 found that: • MEA mobile data traffic will reach 1.49 exabytes per month by 2018 – the equivalent of 372 million DVDs each month or 4,105 million text messages each second.

• MEA mobile data traffic will grow twice as fast as the region's fixed IP traffic from 2013 to 2018.

• MEA mobile data traffic will account for 39 per cent of the region's fixed and mobile data traffic by 2018, up from 10 per cent in 2013.

The study also predicted that by the end of 2014, the number of global mobile-connected devices will be more than the number of people on the planet.

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