The global spending (both consumer and advertiser) on mobile media services will exceed US$102 billion by 2012, up from $47 billion in 2007, according to a Strategy Analytics forecast.

Consumers will account for the majority of this spending in the near-term, according to research firm eMarketer.

The consumers who are accessing this content will boost from 406 million in 2007 to 870 million in 2012.

"The combination of falling mobile data pricing, an increasingly open approach from network operators towards partnering with popular consumer media brands, the lowering of barriers to off-portal service accessibility and improvements in device usability will lead to an improved environment for mobile content and service adoption," said Nitesh Patel, senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, according to eMarketer.

"Consequently, over the next five years we project continued growth in consumer acceptance and spending across a range of media applications distributed over cellular networks, particularly Web access, video, music and mobile TV," Patel added.

By definition, mobile media services include mobile Internet access, video and music, eMarketer reported.