By Telecom Lead Team: Reliance Communications – the second
largest mobile operator in India based on users – claims 2.8 million active 3G
users, the highest in India.
Idea Cellular has 2.25 million 3G users. While around 30
percent of 7 million 3G users of Bharti Airtel are active, according to media
reports.
India’s total 3G user base is around 10-12 million.
Recently, Reliance Communications has started 3G services in
more than 333 towns in all the 13 circles RCOM have won spectrum.
Idea Cellular has provisioned 3G services for more than 5
percent of its existing 106 million customer base. Idea as on 31st December has
more than 2.25 million active subscribers on 3G platform in the month of
December with an average usage of 235 MB per month and 3G Data incremental ARPU
at Rs 79.
Vodafone India, which launched commercial 3G services in
February last year, saw a huge surge in data revenues, which grew by 29 per
cent Rs 647 crore. The company provides 3G services in 683 towns and cities
across 20 circles. Its total data customers accounted to 31.2 million by the
end of December. That was 21.5 per cent of its total subscribers of 144.9
million.
Reliance Communications’ wireless revenue grew by 9 percent
to Rs 4,447 crore in Q3. Wireless business contributes 63 percent of its total
revenue. Wireless ARPU was 100. Wireless minutes of usage increased by 1.0
percent from 98.9 billion to 99.9 billion as compared to the previous quarter
customer base at 150.1 million, up 2.0 percent against 147.1 million in the
previous quarter
Bharti Airtel’s contribution of non-voice revenue to total
income grew 0.5 percent in Q3 2011 despite roll out of 3G services. Non-voice
revenue contributed 14.3 percent of total income in Q3 2011 against 13.8
percent in Q3 2010 and 14.5 percent in Q2 2011.
3G subscribers to cross 200 million in India by 2016
Recently, Evalueserve said the current inhibitors to 3G
uptake are short term in nature, and 3G subscription will increase at a rapid
pace of 30 percent CAGR between 2012 and 2016 to cross the 200 million mark.
Along with 3G services, the number of 3G-enabled mobile
handsets will also continue to grow, reaching an active installed handset base
of 680 million by 2016. Boosted by better handsets and data speed, mobile
value-added services will also boom in the future; Evalueserve expects total
MVAS users to reach 430 million during the period.
