Smartphones, tablets drive U.S. mobile data revenues to $55B in 2010

The U.S. mobile data market increased 23 percent year-over-year in 2010, accounting for total revenues of $55 billion, according to research firm Chetan Sharma Consulting. U.S. mobile data revenues grew to $14.8 billion in Q4 2010, up 5 percent quarter-over-quarter as mobile subscriptions officially crossed the 100 percent penetration milestone. Verizon Wireless (NYSE:VZ), AT&T (NYSE:T) and Sprint (NYSE:S) together represented 86 percent of Q4 mobile data revenue increases, Chetan Sharma reports, adding that T-Mobile USA's data growth is beginning to catch up with its rivals' momentum.

Looking at 2010 as a whole, Verizon Wireless and AT&T accounted for 69 percent of market data service revenues and 64 percent of the U.S. subscriber base--Verizon now leads in worldwide mobile data revenues as well, edging past China Mobile. AT&T follows in third. As of the fourth quarter, data makes up 34 percent of U.S. operator ARPU--Verizon leads the competition with data ARPU of $18.79. Chetan Sharma anticipates U.S. mobile data revenues to exceed voice revenues by the second quarter of 2013.

Additional findings of the Chetan Sharma report:

• Average data consumption in the U.S. reached 350 MB per month at the end of 2010, translating to year-over-year data traffic growth of 132 percent.
• Messaging accounted for $17 billion in operator revenues during 2010.
• For the first time, smartphone shipments exceeded traditional computer segments (e.g. desktops, notebooks and netbooks). Looking ahead at 2011, smartphones and connected devices like tablets and ereaders are expected to generate greater data revenues than the computer segment.
• At the current pace of adoption and usage, U.S. smartphone data consumption will surpass data card consumption for the first time by the end of 2011.

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