By 2010 the Number of Mobile Subscribers is Expected to Increase to 348 Million in India

Business Wire, Sept 11, 2006

DUBLIN, Ireland -- Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c41823) has announced the addition of India Mobile Market: The Next Land Run for Mobile Vendors? to their offering.

The secret of the Indian mobile market is out. All of the major equipment providers and handset manufacturers have targeted India as a high priority for increasing their worldwide presence for years to come.

But now that the market has emerged is the sky really the limit? TDG's latest report, India Mobile Market: The Next Land Run for Mobile Vendors? provides a summary of the recent evolution of this sector as well as the dynamics which will make India the number two mobile subscriber market in the world by 2010.

Key findings from this report include:

--All inhabited areas (and hence the entire population) of India should be covered by mobile networks by the end of 2009, despite only 45-50% coverage today.

--The number of total mobile subscribers is expected to increase from just over 100 million today to over 348 million by year-end 2010.

--Despite what the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India terms a "quality of service crisis", fierce price wars among India mobile operators have caused near exponential growth in mobile subscribers since 2003.

From the Report:

In today's increasingly digital world where people are constantly on the move, the mobile phone is perceived as a key communications device not just for business but for personal use as well.

In India, mobile phones help shape the identity of individuals, families and society. In short, they are viewed not just as communications devices but as status symbols.

Though the average Indian mobile subscriber remains cost conscious due to low income living and the vast majority of Indian mobile subscribers use only voice or SMS services; newer, more multifunctional handsets (with features such as FM radio, cameras, and mobile video) are becoming increasingly popular.

Only time will tell how much of a social impact newer value-added services as well as higher mobile penetration in general will have upon the Indian mobile subscriber population.

Topics Covered:

1.0 Introduction
1.1 The Emergence of 'New' Asia as a Force in Global Telecom
1.2 Methodology

2.0 Background and Context - The Evolution of India's Telecom Market
2.1 India's Telecom Map
2.2 Rural vs. Urban Communications
2.3 Fixed-Line Communications, Briefly

3.0 India's Transition from Fixed to Mobile Telecom Services
3.1 Overview
3.2 State-Owned to Market-Driven
3.3 The Rise of Mobile Communications

4.0 The Emergence of the World's Largest Mobile Telecom Market
4.1 Important Characteristics of India's Mobile Market
4.2 Reduction in Tariffs
4.3 The Competing Mobile Technologies
4.4 Current Competitive Environment
4.5 Handsets
4.6 Challenges Still Facing the Market

5.0 Profile of Major Mobile Service Providers
5.1 Bharti Airtel, Ltd.
5.2 BSNL
5.3 Hutch
5.4 Reliance Infocomm
5.5 Tata Teleservices

6.0 Forecasts for India's Mobile Market (2006 - 2010)
6.1 Forecast Assumptions
6.2 Building the Model
6.3 TDG's Forecasts

7.0 Appendices
7.1 Licenses for Telecom Service in India (Cellular, Fixed, and
    Unified)
7.2 India's Fixed Line Operators

List of Figures
List of Tables

Companies Mentioned:

- Bharti Airtel, Ltd.
- BSNL
- Hutch
- Reliance Infocomm
- Tata Teleservices

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c41823