The world cuts the cable: Wireless Traffic to Exceed Fixed IP Traffic Next Year

One key take out for me from the latest Cisco VNI report is that wireless traffic is about to exceed fixed for the first time. Today wireless (Wi-Fi & Mobile) is 46% of total IP traffic, in 5-years it will be 67%. In fact at the projected rate of traffic migration this significant milestone will be reached next year.

Proportion of total global IP traffic

This is no surprise given the way Mobile devices have become the internet portal of choice to the majority. Along the way customer power has liberated the device from the Service Provider, with number portability,  the end of SIM locking and BYOD as global trends. Even content and applications are now been developed as Mobile ready first and Browser second. Anyone remember surfing a web page on a WAP browser?

As a consequence we are already seeing the lines blur between Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Fixed Network Operators (FNOs). MNOs are rapidly deploying services to cover traditional “Fixed” locations (home, work place, entertainment, etc.) leveraging Smallcells and Wi-Fi, for managed off-load and even Voice over Wi-Fi (VoWiFi). FNOs on the other hand are offering Mobile access via their, or affiliated Wi-Fi, and even as Mobile Virtual Network Operators.

So in the next 5-years we won’t be talking about Mobile and Fixed Network Operators, just Mobile Service Providers. The ones who provide the end-user information and communication access, via a mixed of physical and virtual network assets.

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