Abstract
Telsyte' s latest research into Australia' s mobile market finds that the local
mobile services industry grew strongly in the first six months of 2009 as if
there was no recession. 3G users outnumbering 2G, VHA officially overtaking
Optus in the all-important 3G space, and a slew of new MVNOs - including
supermarket giant Woolworths - entering the market highlighted the country' s
fastest-growing telecom segment in the first half of this year.
This study comprehensively analyses the key performance indicators (KPIs),
including subscriber numbers, revenue and ARPU, of Telstra, Optus, VHA and
MVNOs as of June 2009. Taking into account the industry' s fast developments
and rapidly-changing competitive landscape, it also provides updated 5-year
forecasts from 2009 to 2013. Key findings from this study include:
- One million new mobile users were added, taking the total number to 24.5
million or 113% of the population. Mobile broadband, the rapid migration of 2G
to 3G, and the Apple iPhone were notable contributors that drove half-year
service revenue to enjoy double-digit annual growth. Serving one in four mobile users, the newly formed VHA was
virtually neck-and-neck with Optus in terms of revenue, and became a strong
number-two player in the high-ARPU 3G segment.
- Telstra boasted the industry' s highest 3G user base and non-voice revenue
mix, at almost 40% of its total revenue pool, while Optus displayed its
resilience through an almost 50% expansion in its 3G user number. Although
diluted by Vodafone' s 2G business, VHA enjoyed an industry-leading ARPU of $47.5.
- All players, including MVNOs as a group, experienced a year-on-year ARPU
rise, thanks to Australians' growing love affair with non-voice services,
which now make up well over onethird of their mobile bills. The first half of
this year also witnessed a larger role by MVNOs following a slew of non-traditional MVNOs jumping on the mobile broadband
bandwagon. " With the Australian and global economies starting to show signs
of recovering, the local mobile market is projected to remain very strong.
Telsyte estimates the number of mobile users will reach 25.3 million by the
end of 2009, 116% penetration, rising to nearly 30 million in 2013, or 129% of
the population. Service revenue, meanwhile, is projected to grow at an average annual rate of 6.4% to reach $16.8 billion in the next four years,
with non-voice revenue exceeding voice revenue in as early as 2011.
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