Mobile data traffic rose 39% Y-o-Y in Western Europe in 2012

"Data traffic on Western Europe’s mobile networks rose by 39% between 2011 and 2012, to 3,077 exabytes, according to a new report from ABI Research.
According to Marina Lu, a research associate at ABI, some 50% of subscribers in Western Europe are now on data plans and “making full use of it”.
With 4G “still attempting to find its feet”, 3G accounted for 64% of total traffic.
Despite the surging use of mobile data services, operators remain under serious pressure in other areas.
In most countries around Europe, says ABI, minutes of use have contracted by up to 4.5% between the second and third quarters of 2012, while text-messaging usage in the same markets fell between 0.5% and 7.8% over the same period."

Source:  Telecom Engine, 9th January 2013