What’s the outlook for mobile broadband?

‘Lies, damned lies and statistics’, a famous phrase coined by Benjamin Disraeli and popularised by Mark Twain to describe how inaccurate arguments can be given undeserved credibility by the inclusion of some persuasive statistics.

Factor in such variables as perspective, motives and spin, and it leaves you wondering just who is telling the truth?

I’ve read two very different angles on the same story today, the take-up rate of mobile broadband services since their introduction to the market late last year.

According to Ofcom, the rapid take up of mobile broadband is likely to accelerate the introduction of super-fast broadband networks in the UK, which is great news. Promising mobile take-up figures will be used as the carrot on a stick to encourage fixed-line operators to invest in next generation infrastructure.

However, over at Point Topic, researchers are concerned by their findings from a mobile broadband survey. Only 3 million broadband users in the UK are free roaming (about 6% of all adults questioned in a mobile broadband survey), with Point Topic suggesting it is only the privileged minority (young, well paid, well educated) who are plugging in their dongles and using their broadband connection on the move.

Based on these relatively underwhelming figures, how can Ofcom use mobile broadband uptake as ammunition to persuade industry figureheads to invest in fibre?

Well, the answer is quite simple, and this is where the damned lies and statistics come in. Despite Point Topic’s research presenting a compelling argument for slow mobile broadband uptake, the mobile broadband sector has actually experienced a period of unprecedented growth since spring 2008.

A recent YouGov report predicts a third of all broadband users will be hooking up via dongles by 2012. Moreover, as ISPs get wise to the mobile broadband growth spurt, faster download speeds, cheaper connections and more freebies/incentives will be established and offered. Mobile broadband will really become a force against the landline when these developments become commonplace.

So both sides are telling the truth, it just depends on whether your cup is half full, or half empty.