Survey: Half of U.S. subscribers pay for mobile web access

Close to 50 percent of U.S. wireless subscribers now pay for mobile Internet access, according to a new study published by market research firm Parks Associates. Turning exclusively to the smartphone segment, Parks Associates reports 95 percent of subscribers pay for SMS, 92 percent pay for web access, 83 percent pay for mobile email, 63 percent pay for mobile navigation services and 43 percent pay for mobile video.

Parks Associates forecasts worldwide mobile data services will generate mobile carrier revenues reaching $500 billion in 2015, up from $204 billion in 2010. "Carriers will derive most data revenues from access services, and content services, including mobile music, videos, games, ringtones, apps, and navigation, will supplement mobile access data services," the firm's director of mobile research Harry Wang said in a prepared statement, going on to recommend that operators build a more flexible service infrastructure to prepare for the deluge of new data services and associated business models.

For more:
- read this release

Related articles:
comScore: Japanese mobile web usage far outstrips U.S.
Nielsen: Email still dominates mobile web usage