Businesses provide 11% of mobile service revenue from non-voice services in Western Europe, but the revenues are to grow to EUR 8.1 billion in 2008, according to Analysys. The 11% share is low, despite the business market accounting for 15% of mobile operators' customers and 40% of mobile voice revenue. This underexploitation has largely been due to difficulties in bringing together the necessary building blocks for convincing solutions: speedy and reliable networks, and applications, devices, implementation options and pricing that meet businesses' needs. However, this market could grow strongly over the next five years, if clear solutions are developed and intensively marketed through suitable channels. In its recent report, Mobile Data Solutions for Businesses: maximising take-up and revenue, Analysys Research forecasts that service revenue from business use of mobile data services could increase from EUR 1.8 billion in 2003 to EUR 8.1 billion in 2008. Mobile email, which typically also includes mobile access to calendars and contact information, will be the key driver of growth in mobile data services for businesses during this period. Annual mobile service revenue generated by email could increase from EUR 49 million in 2003 to EUR 2.9 billion in 2008. Less than 1% of those with a business mobile phone use mobile email today, but penetration could rise to 40% by 2008, with senior and middle managers across a broad range of market sectors being key targets.
