The document discusses mobile phone connectivity and the types of connections mobile devices use to access the internet. It finds that while WiFi connections are growing as a percentage of total connections, mobile network operator (MNO) connections are growing faster. Data from 20 websites over 4 years shows unique users connecting via MNOs increased significantly in late 2008, while WiFi connections grew steadily but decreased as a percentage of total connections. Across all sites tracked, around 31% of transactions now occur over WiFi on average.
2. Types of connectivity
Operator WAP gateway
Operator Internet gateway
RIM gateway
Internet
Browser gateway
Corporate gateways
• Newer devices connect over a wide range of access methods
– WAP gateway, Internet Gateway, Internet via Bluetooth, WiFi, WiMax
– Apple or Blackberry proprietary (non operator) gateway
– Some Operator functions only work using WAP or special operator gateways
• Some connections hide operator & identity
– Devices frequently change connection type (automatically)
– Some devices never connect via operator gateways
• Some operators don’t support services on Internet gateways
– Orange, O2, AT&T support only WAP gateways
– Even operator-hosted payment solutions can fail to identify the user
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3. Methodology
• Bango records accesses from millions of mobile phone browsers across thousands
of web sites visited by mobile users including some of the most widely used sites in
USA and Europe
Sites use Bango analytics code on web pages
Advertisers use Bango tracking links to monitor campaign ROI
Content providers use Bango payment to collect money from users
• Bango can map the IP address and other information about the originating device
against its uniquely comprehensive network database to determine which user sare
coming through which network time for each transaction.
• Bango has been recording this data since 2002, and therefore has a wealth of data
from which to pull useful data.
• Only Bango sees a full picture. More than any operator (they don’t see their
subscribers accessing via Wifi) or web site (they only see their own traffic).
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4. MNO vs Wifi for 20 sites over 4yrs
The total number of unique users visiting 20 sites that have been active in developing mobile user
traffic over 4 years is measured every week. It is normalized to 100 based on May 1st 2005 traffic.
2nd half 2008 saw a significant rise in traffic via MNO connections and Wifi traffic has risen steadily
since June 2007. Wifi traffic has risen, but as a percentage has declined to 15% due to faster MNO
growth – possibly due to flat rate data tariffs and marketing of internet services over Xmas
700 25%
Unique users per week - Ref 100=May 1st 2005
600
20%
500
400 15%
User connected via MNO Gateway
300
10%
200
User connected via Wifi 5%
100
0 0%
5
7
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8
05
07
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06
7
8
08
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7
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9
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4 4
5. Trend across all Bango tracked
pages
35%
30% 31%
Dividing all analytics and payment transactions
across all sites 20 sites that are tracked by Bango
reveals a similar increasing share from Wifi. 27%
25%
Wifi transaction volumes are favourable to Wifi 23%
visitor numbers , since data shows users visit
more pages than when connecting via MNO. 20%
19%
In addition, compared with our 20 “4 year old 17%
sites”, more recent sites tend to be biassed 15%
towards recent smart an dfeaturephones which 13%
are more likely to have Wifi connectivity.
10%
Nevertheless, for a web site owner wanting to 9%
8%
supply to mobile phones, around one third of
accesses will now be over Wifi on average 5%
0%
2q07 3q07 4q07 1q08 2q08 3q08 4q08 1q09
5 5