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Figure 42 shows total global monthly data and voice traffic. It
depicts a strong increase in data traffic growth but flat voice
traffic development. The number of mobile data subscriptions
has been increasing rapidly, driving growth in data traffic along
with a continuous increase in the average data volume per
subscription. Data traffic grew around 15% between fourth
quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014.
Early in the 2000s, Google and other web companies forecasted that people would consume Internet mostly via mobile devices (leading in part to Google investing in Android).
In 2014, mobile took over desktop for browsing the web (http://cnnmon.ie/1saCX3b). In its state of Internet report (SOTI 1Q14 http://bit.ly/1saE1UI), this Akamai chart shows that people are not buying iPhones and other mobile devices as phone replacements but as desktop replacements. The chart also highlights the importance of ubiquitous mobile network availability, via cellular or wifi.
But contrary to home or office usage, mobile depends on public networks to give users access to the Internet. For now, private corporations (telcos) have been the only ones providing this essential service. Soon, governments should consider providing the wireless telecommunication networks as part of their infrastructure, in a similar way that they provide roads, sewer and aqueducs.