Accenture in USA has released its survey on mobile content. The results from late 2007 suggest telephony remains the primary use for mobile devices particularly for baby boomers (45yrs+). However Gen Y (18-24yrs) are much more evenly spread with their usage including data functions.

This points to the growth opportunities; as current Gen Y users age their data use will increase given their established usage patterns and familiarity with the data service options.

AMTA’s recent economic research by Access Economics suggests demand growth will push data contribution to GDP from $8.1 billion in 2008 to $9.3 billion in 2010.

AMTA expects mobile broadband and business application to be primary demand drivers. The CTIA found:

The US wireless industry trade body, the CTIA has published a new study that reveals the massive positive impact wireless broadband technology is having on the United States economy. The independent report, commissioned by CTIA and prepared by analyst Roger Entner as a follow-up to a 2005 Ovum Report, projects the total value of wireless broadband and mobile voice services to exceed $427 billion by the year 2016, and additional benefits to the Gross Domestic Product of $860 billion over the next ten years

As forecasts with big numbers catch marketers’ eyes, hard data reminds us that in many ways, mobile content is still finding its foothold. Most mobile phone users in the US are sticking with the basics for now, according to data released in October 2008 by Accenture.

According to the survey in Cellular - News, fielded in December 2007, nearly 80% of respondents did not use their mobile device for gaming, 84% did not use mobile e-mail and 88% did not watch mobile videos.

While 12% of respondents said that mobile e-mail usage took up 1 to 4 hours per week, 4% said it occupied 5 or more hours weekly. For mobile video, those numbers fell to 9% and 3%, respectively.

In addition, there was a notable difference in mobile content use between Generation Y and their parents—those considered baby boomers or older. More than one-quarter of respondents ages 18 to 24 used their mobile phones for voice calls only, a dramatic difference from the 69% of those ages 45 and older who did so.

“These survey results point to important missed business opportunities in the mobile handset and social networking arenas,” said Accenture’s Kumu Puri, in a statement. “Clearly, many consumers are not widely embracing higher-end mobile phone applications.”

As smartphones start to branch out from the enterprise market and make inroads with consumers (think iPhone and Google’s G1), eMarketer believes that mobile content will begin to gain traction. The US market for mobile games is projected to grow from $344 million in 2007 to $1.15 billion in 2012, while spending on mobile music will surpass $4 billion in 2012, from just under $1 billion last year.