M-payments to be adopted by 2 billion by 2013

Around 2.1 billion mobile subscribers are forecast to be using mobile payment services for digital goods by 2013.

Information released by Juniper Research Tuesday reveals a significant growth opportunity not only for mobile payment systems, software, support and consultancy services vendors, but also for mobile operators to increase their ARPU as transaction frequencies accelerate.

Juniper analyst Howard Wilcox said, “Many digital content goods and services are becoming basic ‘must haves’ – particularly in the sub 35 age group. Devices like the iPhone are undoubtedly contributing to consumer awareness and usage of mobile music services. People who are 15 to 20 today will expect to buy directly with their phones and will drive this market over the next few years.”

The research house anticipates that mobile users will make at least two payment transactions per month for digital goods by 2013. “Even though typical transaction sizes will remain in the $3-$5 bracket a sufficient number of users will be using their mobiles to buy music, games, tickets, infotainment and the other digital goods sufficiently often to see gross transaction value grow nearly seven fold by 2013,” said Wilcox.

Two leading regions, Western Europe and the Far East & China, are forecast to account for over 50 per cent of the total digital goods gross transaction market value by 2013.