Mobile Phone Proliferates, a Hallmark of New India

The New York Times reports on India's lead as the fastest-growing cellular market in the world - and explains why.

''India’s charges per minute are said to be the lowest in the world, as service providers offer deals that include a lifetime of unlimited incoming calls for a one-time fee of 1,000 rupees (USD21.75). “Everybody can afford it,” said T. V. Ramachandran, director general of the Cellular Operators Association — “the teawallah, the dhobi and the sabsiwallah,” conjuring up the traditional tea vendor, launderer and vegetable seller.

Most of the growth has been recent. When mobile phone services were introduced in India in 1994, only the very rich could afford the handsets, which cost hundreds of dollars, along with the service. But after the introduction of competition in telecommunications that year, private companies challenged the government-owned telecommunications provider, and prices fell.

India currently has more than 123 million mobile phone subscribers, well behind the 430 million in China, and it is not expected to catch up for many years.

September 15, 2006

---

Cell Phone Security
Missed Call Marketing

Mobile Social News
News