The number of active mobile broadband devices is expected to reach 34 million by the end of 2015, according to a new report from The NPD Group. That’s almost a 50% increase from 2013.
Tablets will be the primary mobile broadband devices at that point, taking over from USB ‘dongles’. In 2015, 66% of all mobile broadband devices are expected to be tablets - yet USB modems accounted for more than half of all mobile broadband devices until the end of 2011.
Brad Akyuz, director at NPD’s Connected Intelligence service, said “Tablets are the next subscriber battleground for the carriers. The decline in ASPs, coupled with the intensified pricing competition, will further boost connected tablet adoption in the coming years. AT&T currently leads in active tablets connections, but we anticipate Verizon Wireless will surpass AT&T by the end of 2015. While all of this is great news for consumers who want an always-on tablet, it could drive the carrier market back into a subsidized device model just as this is beginning to fade for smartphones.”
The NPD Group/Connected Intelligence Mobile Broadband Market Share and Forecast Report
[Connected Intelligence Mobile Broadband Market Share and Forecast Report]