World’s fastest mobile data traffic growth? The Middle East, of course!

MEA mobile data traffic is predicted to reach 1.49 Exabytes per month by 2018

The Middle East boasts one of the most tech-receptive and youthful populations on the planet. Now make that official. According to a Cisco study, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) will post the world’s-fastest mobile data traffic growth rate from 2013-2018.

The study, titled Cisco Visual Networking Index Global Mobile Data Traffic Forecast for 2013 to 2018, reports that mobile data traffic in the region will increase 14-fold by 2018.

Some interesting pointers from the report:

• MEA mobile data traffic will reach 1.49 Exabytes per month by 2018 – the equivalent of 4,105 million text messages each second.
• MEA mobile data traffic will grow 2 times faster than region’s fixed IP traffic from 2013 to 2018.
• MEA mobile data traffic will account for 39% of region’s fixed and mobile data traffic by 2018, up from 10% in 2013.
• In MEA, 36% of mobile connections will be 'smart' connections by 2018, up from 10% in 2013.
• In MEA, 90% of mobile data traffic will be 'smart' traffic by 2018, up from 76% in 2013.

According to the report, the MEAmobile data traffic growth is being driven by the world’s-fastest uptake of Internet Protocol version 6 (Ipv6)-capable smartphones and tablets, rising from 133 million in 2013 to almost 598 million in 2018. In the region, smart wearable devices like watches, glasses, and fitness trackers are also slated to post strong growth from 700,000 in 2013 to 8 million in 20