Video would drive the mobile data uptick and cause it grow by 10x in the next five years, finds Ericcson in their new Traffic and Market Data report. Other key findings include: Global smartphone traffic is pegged to triple during 2011, and mobile broadband subscriptions will grow at a CAGR of 60% through 2016, to tally close to five billion.

Developing nations would contribute significantly to the growth. From the chart below, developing economies such as – China, India and Africa would significantly add to their existing mobile subscription base.

The most interesting data point of the report predicts that 60% of our data usage in 2016 will be generated by users occupying just 1% of the Earth’s landmass.

Ericsson goes onto state

“By 2016 more than 30 percent of the world’s population will live in metropolitan and urban areas with a density of more than 1,000 people per square kilometre. These areas represent less than one per cent of the Earth’s total land area, yet they are set to generate around 60 percent of total mobile traffic”

Image Credit: gomonews.com

Other Content Credit: Ericsson