Mobile users in China sent 429 billion text messages in 2006, while India added more mobile subscribers in the year than Britain had in total, as the two countries joined Brazil and Russia in driving growth in the sector, a Reuters report said.
The Reuters report quoted a report by Britain's media and telecommunications watchdog Ofcom as saying that mobile phones had driven most of the communications sector's growth and accounted for 53% of total telecoms revenue.
In India, the number of new mobile subscriptions doubled to 150 million during the year, an increase of more than Britain's total of 70 million mobile connections, the Reuters report said.
However only 14% of the Indian population had a mobile connection, showing its remaining growth potential, the report added.
In China, mobile users sent 429 billion text messages, an equivalent of 967 per user, more than any other country, the report said.
The findings were part of the research included in the Ofcom International Communications Report which looked at the 873 billion pound global television, radio and telecommunications sector in 2006 to analyse growing trends, the report said.
The Reuters report said the study also found Britain had the highest take-up of digital television and the joint highest digital radio coverage of the 12 countries surveyed, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Republic of Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden, Japan, Canada and the US.