US : Wireless subscriber growth in India will more than double over the next 24 months as growth in China slows, illuminating the way for wireless expansion in other less-developed countries and rural areas.

Inset is Chetan Sharma Consultant and the report’s author.

That is one of the conclusions of the new 80-page report, India’s Wireless Market: Model for the Next Phase of Global Wireless Expansion, released today by Datacomm Research Company.

“India’s wireless market requires fresh thinking regarding average revenue per user (ARPU), infrastructure design, handset supplies, and digital applications and content,” said Chetan Sharma, President of Chetan Sharma Consulting and the report’s author. “Increasing rural tele-density is a major piece to the puzzle, and building services around low ARPUs is the solution,” he added.

India’s Wireless Market: Model for the Next Phase of Global Wireless Expansion provides a comprehensive, realistic, up-to-date, and actionable report on India’s wireless market. The study is based on in-depth interviews with executives at operators, application developers, manufacturers, and other players. The report describes India’s market, value chain, competition, and regulation and identifies the best and worst money-making opportunities.

Additional conclusions found in India’s Wireless Market: Model for the Next Phase of Global Wireless Expansion:

1. Wireless market growth in India hinges on increasing tele-density above its current 1.7% level in the rural areas that represent 70% of the population. There is a realistic opportunity to add 100 million wireless subscribers over the next 2-3 years.

2. There are also significant opportunities for digital applications such as Push-To-Talk (PTT). The key to success is tying digital applications into local interests such as the Indian film industry, cricket craze, and local festivals.

3. India’s wireless market is a test bed for alternative infrastructure, handsets, billing systems, business models and marketing strategies that will likely prove applicable to other developing countries.

4. India’s telecom market is also a minefield. Vendors must not only understand the market, regulations, and competition: they must learn the nuances of India’s business practices and wireless value chain.

India’s Wireless Market: Model for the Next Phase of Global Wireless Expansion is the latest in Datacomm Research's CompetitiveEdge™ family of reports and sells for $1,995.00 (single-user PDF version). The price includes one hour of analyst consultation. The report will begin shipping January 21, 2005.

About Chetan Sharma

Chetan Sharma is a recognized expert on wireless technologies and markets, particularly wireless data solutions and business strategies. He is author of three books and numerous articles and reports on wireless topics.

About Datacomm Research Company

Datacomm Research is a leader in researching, analyzing and forecasting emerging computing and communications markets. Entering its fifteenth year, the company helps clients around the world identify and exploit major growth opportunities. Other Datacomm Research reports include Mobile Movies: the Market for Short Videos on Small Screens and Wireless Metropolitan Area Networks: Opportunities & Illusions.