India Challenges China as Fastest Growing Mobile Phone Market 

 

 Adding five million subscribers per month, India will become
the world’s second largest mobile phone market by 2008

 

May 8, 2006 – St. Louis, Missouri – The pace of India’s mobile phone market growth is accelerating and the country is on track to surpass Russia and the U.S. in total subscribers. That is one of the conclusions of the updated 86-page report, India’s Wireless Market: Model for the Next Phase of Global Wireless Expansion, released today by Datacomm Research Company.

 

“The number of mobile phone subscribers added each month in India has more than tripled over the past year,” said Chetan Sharma, President of Chetan Sharma Consulting and the report’s author. “India passed Japan in total subscribers last month.  Within the next few weeks, India will break through the 100 million subscriber barrier,” he added.

The updated version of India’s Wireless Market: Model for the Next Phase of Global Wireless Expansion provides a comprehensive, accurate, up-to-date, and actionable report on India’s wireless market. The study is based on in-depth interviews with executives at operators, application developers, manufacturers, and other players. The report describes India’s market, value chain, competition, and regulation and identifies the best and worst money-making opportunities.

Additional conclusions found in the updated version of India’s Wireless Market: Model for the Next Phase of Global Wireless Expansion:

1.       India’s wireless boom is largely the result of government decisions favoring competition.  Both developing and developed countries can learn from India’s regulatory, network infrastructure, handset, and value-added service innovations.

2.       India will spend several $billion on wireless infrastructure to accommodate subscriber growth, improve rural coverage, and add advanced services. Significant opportunities exist for leveragin the 450 and 800 MHz bands.

3.       India’s consumers require low-cost handsets.  Handsets are now available for as little as $40.  However, many Indian consumers will spend a little more for enhancements such as the ability to download and play music and games.

4.       Thanks to low per-minute charges (under $0.03), most Indian consumers pay less than US$10 per month for voice service.  Wireless data yields higher margins for operators, providing incentives for affordable text, music and video services. 

Full Press release here