Mobile service revenues grew by just 3 percent in Q1 2009, down from
8 percent a year earlier, according to, "Wireless Operator Performance
Benchmarking, Q1 2009," a report from the Strategy Analytics Wireless
Network Strategies service.
Nearly 40 percent of all mobile operators
saw revenues fall in Q1 2009, compared to just 16 percent in the same
situation in Q1 2008.
Mobile data revenues increased 17 percent in the first quarter and now represent 25.3 percent of total operator revenues, up 21.9 percent year-over-year and a 24 percent increase over Q4 2008.
The research, which tracks the operational and financial
performance of the over 175 mobile operators who account for 80 percent
of global subscribers, found that vanishing revenue growth was not just
a problem in mature, saturated markets. One-quarter of the operators in
emerging markets also saw service revenues fall in Q1 2009.
"Europe is seeing the greatest concentration of operators losing
revenues at present," comments Phil Kendall, Director, Wireless
Network Strategies. "This used to just be an issue for the more
saturated, Western half, but has now extended to Central and Eastern
Europe, too."
Susan Welsh de Grimaldo, Senior Analyst, Wireless Network Strategies
adds, "In many other regions, operators recording revenue loss tend to
be isolated cases where competitive pressure has hurt one operator more
than others. However, in the Asia-Pacific, we are now seeing countries
like Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand become tough environments for
all players."