Mobile Data to Be Worth US$4.6 Billion in Eastern Europe

A Yankee Group report has found that during 2002, Russia emerged as the largest and fastest growing mobile market in Eastern Europe, raising regional penetration to 22%. While there is room for further growth, the Yankee Group reports average revenue per user continues to decline and net additions are slowing. Mobile data services are gaining traction in some markets and boosting ARPU, but deployment and use vary tremendously by country and subregion.

"The mobile markets of Eastern Europe undoubtedly will grow, but at different speeds and levels of opportunity," says Farid Yunus, Yankee Group Wireless/Mobile Europe senior analyst. "Low fixed-line penetration provides a unique opportunity for mobile network operators, in both voice and data communications. However, low disposable income, uncertain economic prospects, undeveloped infrastructure, and high handset prices will keep the region well behind Western Europe in mobile data market development and size for at least the next few decades."

However, as growth slows in Western Europe over the next 5 years, more attention will turn to Eastern Europe, which by 2007 will grow to 125 million mobile users, with half residing in Poland and Russia, pushing regional mobile penetration to 37%

The report also expects blended ARPU to dip and then recover to almost US$20 per month, with data ARPU approaching US$5 in the Czech Republic and Hungary."

Posted to the site on 8th July 2003