Demand for mobile content services in South Africa will grow by an average of
15 per cent per year until 2013, according to a report from
Frost
& Sullivan.
The South African Mobile Content Services Market report attributes this
growth to rising customer awareness about the availability of multiple services
and applications.
This will allow South Africa's mobile users to benefit from the continuous
development of content services as reductions in broadband costs offer cheaper
internet access.
The research suggests that users are no longer downloading just content, and
are sharing, personalising and creating the material.
At the same time, mobile content services are moving towards business
communication and mobile advertising.
"The future of mobile content services is in transition from SMS and MMS to
instant messaging, media and video blogging," said Lindsey McDonald, industry
analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
"The building of mobile content communities and sharing of video clips is
becoming the norm."
McDonald explained that consumers and corporate users are increasingly using
content services as a form of communication with clients and as a way of
building communities, not just for recreation.
South Africa's developed and developing infrastructure, combined with
geographical hindrances to fixed-line implementations, make it an ideal market
for accelerated mobile internet adoption.
However, the report warned that mobile content providers are having
difficulty differentiating themselves from competitors in the market, making
market penetration and customer loyalty a challenge.
"Continuous innovation and provision of quality customer service is one way
mobile content providers can differentiate their services in the market," said
McDonald.
"Creating a variety of customised services based on customer needs would be
an effective approach to use when creating content."
Do you agree?
Have your say on this article