Growth in Subscribers

India is expected to exceed over 100 million subscribers by the end of 2006. This represents a remarkable rise in subscriber numbers, growing from only 5.5 million in 2001 to nearly 50 million by 2004. Quarterly subscriber growth is currently averaging at over 5 million net additions making it the fastest growing market behind China in the world. Over the next five years 180 million new subscribers are expected to enter the Indian market.

Study by India’s apex industry chamber Confederation of Indian Industry projects that India will have 21.3 million 3G users by 2010.

Not all subscribers would be interested such 3G services, but in my opinion large percent of subscribers would love to use those services if properly accompanied with reduced handset costs, and reuced tariffs and reliable service. "There is a demand for 3G services in India. We already see entertainment services picking up in the metros. Almost 50 percent of users in metro cities are looking for services beyond voice and texting," Campbell, the head of Ericsson India said