June 1 2003

Total revenue for data services in the U.K. wireless market will grow 75 percent from 2002 to 2004 and mobile penetration rates there will increase to 88.6 percent, according to industry research.

Revenue generated from mobile data services in the United Kingdom will rise to 4 billion euros ($4.3 billion) in 2004, according to new research from the Wireless World Forum.

The London-based firm said Tuesday that total revenue for data services in the U.K. wireless market will grow 75 percent from 2002 to 2004 and that data as a percentage of total ARPU (average revenue per user) will increase from an average of 12 percent in 2002 to more than 19 percent in 2004.

In addition, the W2F found that the number of mobile users in the United Kingdom will increase by 1 million between 2003 and 2004, and that mobile penetration rates there will increase to 88.6 percent in 2004, where the market will reach saturation.

SMS usage will increase as well. According to the report, in 2002, the average user sent 0.92 messages per day; this will increase to 1.08 messages per day in 2004.

Prepaid services, on the other hand, are on the decline. W2F said that the total number of prepay subscribers in the U.K. will fall from a 2002 peak of 35.5 million to 32.6 million in 2004.

The report looked at U.K. mobile operators Vodafone, Orange, T-Mobile, O2, Virgin Mobile and 3

Search For More Info

Web www.cellular.co.za