Mobile operators in the BRIC countries — which include Brazil, Russia, India and China — are accounting for a rapidly growing share of global mobile revenues, and are on track to overtake the U.S. in market size (revenue) by 2012. According to a new Wireless Intelligence study, The Global Cellular Industry Balance Sheet, BRIC operators have recorded the strongest revenue growth in recent years, generating total revenues of $170 billion in 2010, an increase of $30 billion since 2008. In 2012, operators from these 4 countries are expected to exceed $200 billion in revenues.
Globally, mobile operators’ revenues will cross the $1.1 trillion mark in 2012 with developing markets acting as the primary engine of growth – by this point, these operators will contribute over 40% of global revenues, up from 33% four years ago.
Mobile revenue growth in the developed world has remained flat at around 2% a year since 2009, with as many as 40% of operators in developed markets reporting revenue declines last year. The worst hit operators are located in Western Europe (Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain), Eastern Europe (Czech Republic, Hungary) and mature Middle Eastern markets (Bahrain, UAE). Among the large operator groups, companies like America Movil and Telefónica recorded the strongest revenue growth in 2010 due to their large footprint in developing markets.
Voice service revenues still accounted for 75% of recurring revenues on average in developing countries in 2010, and 70% in developed countries. Meanwhile, data revenues (excluding messaging) represented 16% of total revenue on average in the developed region in 2010, compared to 11% in the developing region. In 2012, Wireless Intelligence predicts that over one third of total revenues globally will come from non-voice services while data-only services will represent close to 20% of total revenue.