The most profitable data service is still text messaging -SMS and MMS - reports In-Stat. Frank Dickson, In-Stat analyst, says, 'The keys to SMS profitability are its ease-of-use, inexpensive price tag, global reach, and increased reliability as infrastructure development increases in more rural global regions. In developed areas, however, it has become increasingly important for mobile operators to find ways to enhance and personalize the SMS service offering.'
In-Stat's Mobile Messaging Still Profitable report found the following:
"¢ users were sending more than two trillion mobile messages per day globally as of the end of 2008;
"¢ consumers who use messaging also use more voice minutes than overall survey respondents;
"¢ in addition to paying more for value-added services, US mobile messengers are also more likely to pay up to 25% more for their handsets than all survey respondents.