An analysis of tablet tariffs from the Strategy Analytics Mobile Broadband Price Benchmarking Service (http://www.strategyanalytics.com) reveals a steady growth in tablet tariffs, with an average of six tablet types available from each operator.
“Offering tablet plans and devices is a key part of mobile operator strategy,” says Pawel Kmiec of Strategy Analytics. “Of all the plans available from mobile operators, tablet plans now account for almost 40%. Strategy Analytics expects this number to continue to grow. As new devices come onto the market, operators are keen to add them to their portfolio. We have seen a slowdown in the introduction of operator-branded tablets of late, however.”
There is much more in the way of 4G-specific tablet plans, too. Vodafone in Germany and Sprint in the US have both recently added 4G tablet plans to their range of offerings. With the scale and speed of 4G rollouts gathering pace, Strategy Analytics predicts a dramatic increase in 4G tablet plans in 2012.