A report by Analysys Mason, well known advisers to the telecom and digital media industry, has suggested that the move to mobile broadband is a serious threat to the future viability of fixed line broadband suppliers across Europe. While it is well known in places such as the UK that mobile broadband is becoming more accepted and more popular, can it ever really replace the fixed line services of today?
The problem for many fixed line broadband service providers is the fact recent reports have shown that the average broadband users monthly upload and download requirements can be met by the current mobile broadband services available in the UK. When you add in the fact that mobile broadband can be used across a growing number of areas in the UK and Europe, in many cases wherever there is a mobile phone signal from you provider, the landscape is starting to change.
In the UK at the moment we are seeing more users subscribing to both fixed line broadband and mobile broadband but this may change fairly soon. There is a trend across mainland Europe which has seen broadband users ditch their fixed line services and move over to the mobile broadband industry.
Many now believe that the only way the likes of BT broadband can survive long term is to become more involved in delivering mobile broadband behind the scenes and become a white label mobile broadband provider for the future influx of providers.