Indian Mobile Phone Subscribers to More than Triple from 2006 to 2011

Apr 13, 2007 11:40 Nikkei Electronics Asia

India in 2006 emerged as one of the world's fastest-growing wireless telecom markets, with the number of mobile-phone service subscribers in the nation growing to 149.5 million, up from 85 million in 2005.

And the number of new subscriber additions continues at a torrid pace. Monthly mobile subscriber additions averaged 5.5 million in 2006, and exceeded 6 million per month by the end of the year. iSuppli Corp projects that the wireless service subscriber base in India will rise to 484 million by 2011, more than three times the 149.5 million in 2006.

"A rise in per-capita income, the arrival of less-expensive phones, declines in tariffs, pro-industry and pro-consumer regulations enacted by the government and a host of other factors have been instrumental in driving this growth," said Dr Jagdish Rebello, director and principal analyst for iSuppli.

It must be noted that since March 2006 there has been one significant change in the way subscriber counting is conducted in India: fixed Wireless Local Loop (WLL) subscribers now are included as mobile subscribers.

The penetration of wireless technologies remains high in urban areas compared to rural regions, where approximately two-thirds of the Indian population resides. As of December 2006, the urban tele-density had grown to more than 40%, compared to rural penetration of little more than 2%.

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