North American Mobile Business Customer ARPUs Grow 2.5% Despite Business Customer Contraction of 2.9%, According to ABI Research

As reported in an update to ABI Research’s mobile business vertical markets database, the North American mobile business customer base was found to have contracted 2.9% in 2009. This contraction was due to the doubling of unemployment that shifted mobile business customers to the consumer category.

However, business customer 2009 ARPUs grew by 2.5%. Says practice director Dan Shey, “The bad economy accelerated greater use of mobile services by business customers, particularly use of mobile data services. Mobile services increase productivity across all occupations, with field force workers finding the greatest benefit. Assuming the recovery continues, mobile will see even bigger gains in 2010 for both subscribers and ARPUs.”

The manufacturing vertical has been hit the hardest, showing greater loss of mobile business customers than all other sectors in 2009. Mobile business customer numbers in the healthcare field stayed flat as this sector added jobs.

Over the forecast period, ARPU growth will be greatest in real estate, and in professional, scientific and technical services, two industries with occupational distributions that are increasing use of mobile services, particularly data services.

ABI Research’s North American Business Mobility Vertical Market Analysis ( http://www.abiresearch.com/research/1003513) provides a detailed view of all the mobile applications and services that serve mobile business customers’ everyday work needs. Business market segmentation is provided at two levels. In the first level, five year mobile services forecasts are provided for the United States Public/Private sector, United States Self Employed, and for Canada. In the second level, United States Public/Private sector data is segmented for 20 different occupations, 22 industry verticals and 4 sizes of business. Mobile services forecasts are provided for voice (real-time communications), messaging, information access, application downloads, line of business applications, mobile broadband, mobile device management services, and mobile cloud computing services, and measured in customers, ARPUs, revenues and penetration.

The market data is included in ABI Research’s Services: Business Mobility Research Service ( http://www.abiresearch.com/products/service/Business_Mobility_Research_Service) and is updated on a quarterly basis.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of emerging trends in global connectivity. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advise thousands of decision makers through 28 research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.