Mobile data explosion highlights need for traffic management solutions

Wireless carriers are increasingly turning to traffic management solutions in an attempt to get control of their networks that are being punished by the rising demand and usage of mobile data services. Informa Telecoms & Media Senior Analyst Dmitris Mavrakis provides some insight into how and why carriers are employing traffic management solutions.
Q: Why is traffic management such an important consideration for wireless carriers in America today?
Dmitris Mavrakis: As next generation networks are built out, mobile operators are finding out that they have to carefully balance the increasing penetration of smartphones and mobile traffic in general. By implementing traffic management and associated pricing models, mobile operators can make sure that the return on investment for these new networks is optimized, while protecting network investments from malicious use and maintaining a high quality of experience for all users.
Q: How do different types of device impact the burden of traffic on the cellular networks?
DM: Even though mobile operators initially marketed USB modems for mobile broadband data plans, they quickly found out that smartphones can provide a better business case. Several operators have reported that a high power portable device subscriber can generate the same traffic as several smartphone subscribers. Although portable devices generate far higher traffic compared to smartphones, the higher number of smartphones is becoming the biggest driver of traffic in mobile networks today. Furthermore, smartphone devices create a signaling burden which is also expected to be addressed by mobile broadband operators in the years to come.
Q: What is driving the demand for mobile data?
DM: Several new applications are emerging that have the potential to increase data usage even further. However, the biggest driver of mobile data is currently the increasing penetration of smartphone devices since operators are actively marketing them to increase data revenues. App stores, voice over Internet Protocol, social networking and e-mail are a few examples of applications driving mobile data today.