Mobile operators challenges
Total mobile revenues reached $1.06 trillion in 2016, up 2% year-on-year. Our latest forecast for annual mobile revenue growth of between 1–2% globally to 2020 represents a marginal downgrade from our forecast made in 2016, due to a slightly weaker macroeconomic backdrop. Overall, the modest global growth outlook reflects a combination of slowing unique subscriber growth, regulatory intervention and increased competition. The main question remains the long-term growth story. Data monetization, competition and execution on convergence all play a role here.
One of the extensively discussed drivers for business restoration of mobile operator is Mobile Financial Services (MFS). The share of MFS in revenue of operators is growing successively but still stands insignificant part.
However, development according to the current scenario provides that all these trillions from eCommerce, mCommerce, Proximity payments will walk on by mobile network operators despite of the fact that the “final mile” used for purchases will be cell phone of users of operators. The same card technologies will be lie under the cell phone but operator will be used as a transport and Internet provider, however, income will come to the current players — financial institutions.
However, there is other case scenario: involving Crypto Payment System the most part of income will come from MFS that become key business of mobile network operator, at that the boundaries between traditional financial institutes and operators will be erased resulting in “Renaissance era” for operators.
