Mobile connections in India will grow by 5 per cent this year, taking the total number of connections to 880 million from 837 million connections last year, said a study from research and advisory company Gartner. With the growth in mobile connectivity, the spending on mobile services will grow 4 per cent to reach $ 21.4 billion in 2015, it added.
According to Gartner, the spending on mobile services will be driven by data services, which is expected to grow 15 per cent to reach $ 6.5 million in 2015. Major segment of the growth will be driven by the increasing use of cellular services on data-centric devices, such as tablets and notebooks.
“Mobile data provides a substantial revenue opportunity in India. Communication service providers (CSPs) will need to focus on creating new pricing, with a focus on data access, such as shared plans. They will also need to refine the services they already provide, with a focus on creating richer, more immersive and more personalized experiences, to increase their customer numbers,” said Neha Gupta, senior research analyst at Gartner.
Some of the major reasons cited for the growth in data services are faster networks, a rise in the number of users and more affordable smart phones. It also said the spending on data services will be heavily driven by mobile video applications.
“In the current scenario applications and content are driving traffic volumes as people increasingly chat to friends and family, watch videos on the move, and listen to streamed music,” added the report.
As the mobile app market matures, app developers will have to sharpen their focus on the marketing and transparency of their apps, in order to retain customers.
Gartner's research indicates that although affluent people and traditional early adopters are the leading users of new technologies and devices, younger, less wealthy people make greater use of mobile apps.
