The burgeoning market for rich-media content and services will push operator-billed data revenues in the Indian sub continent from €1.9 billion (US$3 billion) in 2008 to more than €5.3 billion (US$8.3 billion) by 2013, according to a new report from Juniper Research.
The report found that while ringtones are currently the most lucrative service across the region, games, mobile TV and full-track downloads would all constitute substantial revenue streams by the end of the forecast period, with mobile browsing revenues continuing to climb steadily.
'With the limited availability and relatively high cost of fixed broadband internet across the sub continent, the mobile handset has become the de facto means of accessing internet services,' report author Windsor Holden said.
'Regional operators were among the first to realise that low data pricing was central to encouraging service adoption, and it has paid dividends for them.'
The report also observed that growth would be further bolstered as 3G networks were deployed, although noting that in India, 3G services were now unlikely to be launched until 2009.