Gadgets such as tablets, e-book readers, netbooks and gaming consoles are growing in popularity, and the ability to connect these to the Internet dramatically increases their utility and value. Mobile tethering is the ability to use a mobile phone as a modem or router to enable an internet connection on another mobile gadget, and has important implications across the mobile ecosystem. ARCchart estimates that the loss of carrier broadband subscription revenues caused by user adoption of mobile tethering will reach $50 billion by 2016.
This report looks at the market drivers and barriers to users? adoption of mobile tethering, and forecasts future growth of the market in terms of enabled handsets, usage, and service revenues derived from tethering. The report also examines how tethering is supported across the various handset platforms and how carriers are changing their stance on tethering. The role of third party application developers who are providing mobile tethering solutions is also discussed.
Topics of coverage include:
Tethering use-cases
Market Drivers and Barriers
Hyperconnectivity
Alternative connectivity options
Carrier attitudes to tethering
Overview of carrier plans and policies
Shared data plans
Smartphone platform positioning
Third party tethering apps
Future trends
Recommendations
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