North American Mobile Business Customer ARPUs Grow 2.5% Despite Business Customer Contraction of 2.9%

As reported in an update to ABI Research’s mobile business vertical markets database, the North American mobile business customer base was found to have contracted 2.9% in 2009. This contraction was due to the doubling of unemployment that shifted mobile business customers to the consumer category.

However, business customer 2009 ARPUs grew by 2.5%. Says practice director Dan Shey, “The bad economy accelerated greater use of mobile services by business customers, particularly use of mobile data services. Mobile services increase productivity across all occupations, with field force workers finding the greatest benefit. Assuming the recovery continues, mobile will see even bigger gains in 2010 for both subscribers and ARPUs.”

The manufacturing vertical has been hit the hardest, showing greater loss of mobile business customers than all other sectors in 2009. Mobile business customer numbers in the healthcare field stayed flat as this sector added jobs.

Over the forecast period, ARPU growth will be greatest in real estate, and in professional, scientific and technical services, two industries with occupational distributions that are increasing use of mobile services, particularly data services.