Global IT research and advisory firm Gartner Inc estimates revenue from cellular operations in India would touch Rs 36,600 crore (Rs 366 billion) by 2007, of which data services will contribute Rs 6,600 crore (Rs 66 billion), even as it cautions mobile operators against increasing commoditisation.
"Mobile telephony and data services have been posting an increased growth year after year, and would register Rs 36,600 crore within four years from the present Rs 6,900 crore (Rs 69 billion)," Gartner India principal analyst Kobita Desai said in Mumbai on Thursday.
The analyst also estimates that the cellular data services would grow to Rs 6,600 crore from the present Rs 360 crore, contributing 17 per cent of the total revenue by 2007.
"A migration to data-centric business models will also be witnessed during the four-year time, from the present voice-centric models, which will necessitate operators to change from billing per second to a value-based billing mode," she said.