South Asian Business news and information

The figure of 5.14 may seem confusing to you because in Google News search I found the websites of Reuters India, The Financial Express and Business Standard having the figure of 3.9 million in the headline or first paragraph of the news. So, you may wonder that how I have got the figure of 5.14 million for the month of March 2006. I have got it from the news item of Reuters India. 3.9 million is for GSM operators while the rest is for CDMA operators in India. I hope it is now clear to you. If not then visit the link of Reuters India.

India now has 90.54 million. This is really a huge market. However, compared to a population of 1 billion this is really nothing. The Indian economy can now accommodate another 100 million mobile phone connections very easily. The mobile phone operators are engaged in a rat race to offer attractive and cheap packages so that even poor people can afford a mobile phone. Yes, I have some advertisements of mobile phone in Indian TV channels that show that mobile phones are cheap even for a street vendor.

 On the other hand, mobile phone companies are trying their best to give new and advanced features to their subscribers. For example in the website of SMSTextNews.com, I could find a news item with the headline, 'ICICI Bank & AirTel offer mobile payments'. So, in the next few months users may be able send money from bank with a mobile phone.

If you read the post titled ' I’m Calling Luxor' by Rich Ottum in the Marketing Blurb blog, then you can get an idea that Indian mobile phone operators are still far behind than their American counterparts.

  I wish that Indian mobile phone subscription reaches 100 million soon and then I can again write about it. When will it happen? May, June or July?