Cisco Study Suggests Internet Traffic on Mobile Devices Will Increase 26-Fold by 2015

Network operators have noticed the surge in Internet traffic over mobile devices as consumers increase access to video on smartphones and tablet computers. Now, according to a Bloomberg report, this traffic could increase 26-fold by 2015. This estimate was shared by Cisco, known as the largest provider of computer networking gear.

Mobile devices are increasingly being used by consumers to access videos from YouTube and Netflix, which is straining service providers’ abilities to transmit data quickly. In a study released by Cisco, the company also shared its expectations on connection speeds. Cisco fully expects speeds to rise 10-fold by 2015 to keep up with consumer demand.

The study was designed to provide Cisco customers, such as AT&T and Verizon, with a view of consumer trends. At the same time, the study helps to promote the need for Cisco products to help service providers to handle the increased flow of Internet traffic.

“Consumers are expecting more bandwidth because new applications are coming that take up more bandwidth,” said Suraj Shetty, vice president of service provider marketing at Cisco, in the Bloomberg report. “The question comes down to ‘how much money will people pay for that increasing expectation?’, which will drive the whole value chain itself.”

Shetty also noted that tablets are becoming an increasingly significant driver of mobile traffic growth. By 2015, the company anticipates there will be 7.1 billion mobile Internet-connected devices, nearly the same number of the world’s population forecast by the same year, according to United Nations’ figures.

Tablets are expected to account for roughly 3.5 percent of all mobile Web traffic by 2015. By the same year, two-thirds of data traffic throughout the world will be used for video, according to the study findings.

In other Cisco news, virtual-pbx recently reported that the company announced that its Data Center Business Advantage architecture was  selected for use by Moses Cone Health System, a nonprofit health system with five hospitals; and Virtua, a nonprofit healthcare provider with four hospitals and multiple outpatient facilities.

Cisco customers in the Gulf region will now be able to work at home more conveniently as the company has launched its all-new face-to-face virtual meeting solution, Cisco TelePresence EX60. Cisco's all-in-one EX60 is designed to be stylish and simple to use on desktops at work or at home. With just the touch of a finger, the new solution combines work, communication and collaboration.

To find out more about Cisco, visit the company at ITEXPO East 2011. To be held Feb. 2-4 in Miami, ITEXPO is the world’s premier IP communications event. Carlos Torales of Cisco is speaking during “Vendor Panel: Responding to Today’s and Tomorrow’s Enterprise Requirements” and “The Next Generation of Voice over WLAN.” Don’t wait. Register now.