Internet Usage Stats and Telecommunications Market

India continues to be one of the fastest growing major telecom markets in the world. Sweeping reforms introduced by successive Indian governments over the last decade have dramatically changed the nature of telecommunications in the country. The mobile sector has grown more than tenfold from 2001 to around 60 million subscribers by mid-2005. Whilst GSM technology still dominates, CDMA has quickly grabbed 23% of this market. The mobile industry should continue to boom. Fixed-lines, although not as spectacular as mobiles, is growing solidly. This report presents the key measures of this dynamic market and takes a general look at the development and direction of the market.
Despite the considerable popular interest in

Internet in India, the ISP market has been in disarray. According to the telecom regulator, there were around 180 operational ISPs in the country, after a period of market rationalisation. Despite the large number of providers, 10% of the ISPs have 90% of the subscribers. The state-owned – BSNL and MTNL – have grown rapidly to hold first and second place in terms of subscribers. The growing popularity of cybercafes has been playing a big role in fuelling Internet development in India. This report looks at the ISPs and other aspects of India’s Internet market. There is also some information on Internet content and e-services.

India appears to have embraced the Internet with a degree of ambivalence. There is tremendous enthusiasm amongst the dial-up users and an estimated 60% of users regularly access the Internet via the country’s more than 10,000 cybercafes. But when it comes to high-speed broadband access, there is reluctance, especially within the corporate sector, and the take-up rate has been slow. By early 2005 there were about 700,000 broadband subscribers – a penetration of less 0.1%.