3G Users To
Touch 272 Mn
By 2017
Contd...
While mobile technology is evolving rapidly, it has a long flight path ahead.
Even so, the best practices for engaging with mobile users are no different
than those for engaging with any other consumers. That said, success with
the mobile consumer hinges on understanding the opportunities and
challenges, as well as the drivers and motivators mobile behaviour—all of
which are key considerations when it comes to developing strategies that tap
into those drivers and motivators.
Analysys Mason says the growth will
be driven by wider network coverage, better affordability of 3G
services and increasing affordability
of 3G capable devices.
In an interaction with TelecomLead.com’s chief editor Baburajan K,
Rohan Dhamija, head, India and
South Asia — Analysys Mason, said
the current data usage on 3G to
almost double from 475MB/sub/month in 2012 to 890MB/sub/month
by 2017.
3G growth drivers
As witnessed in global markets, an
increase in smartphone penetration
results in higher 3G penetration.
Even in India, smartphone affordability will be the key driver for uptake of
3G. Currently only 4 percent of the
total population has a smartphone,
an installed base of 45 million in
2012. Among these, only 40 percent
are capable of providing an optimum
3G experience, as defined by device
specifications
(referred
to
as
high-end smartphones). The current
base of 3G subscribers is largely
within these high-end smartphones
as remaining users do not see the
value of upgrading to a 3G plan if the
device is unable to provide a 3G
quality experience.
source
4
Thus far, 2013 has seen several
new launches of affordable
high-end devices by device OEMs
as well as increased availability of
easy financing options, which are
promoted aggressively by TV and
print campaigns. This increase in
device affordability and rising
popularity is expected to provide
momentum to this growth, with
the installed base of smartphones
expected to reach 73 million by
the end of 2013.
3G and Internet data growth
India’s internet growth will be
primarily driven by mobile technology given the uptake of fixed
internet limited to only top urban
cities due scalability issues. With
EDGE / GPRS unable to provide
adequate throughput for data,
uptake of 3G will be the main
driver for internet growth in India
in the medium as well as long
term. We expect the fixed line
internet connections to grow
slightly from 15 million in 2012 to
26 million by 2017, against the 3G
connection exponential growth
from 35 million in 2012 to 272
million by 2017.
“Moreover, as consumers start
using more data intensive applications especially video, we expect
the current data usage on 3G to
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