In case you were wondering why mobile companies, particularly handset manufacturers are paying so much attention to emerging markets, from TeleGeography:
Warid signs up three million users in 300 days
Pakistan mobile operator Warid Telecom says it has signed up more than three million customers since launching in May 2005 and has revealed plans to invest USD1 billion in its network over the next fifteen months. In a statement Warid Telecom said it had invested USD450 million in the first phase of its network rollout, achieving coverage of 100 cities and their surrounding areas, up from 29 cities at launch.
And with the way the overall market in Pakistan is growing, those are likely new subscribers, for the most part, not churn from other operators. For comparison’s sake, it took about 18 months for 3 to reach 3 million users in its first four European markets (though they have a smaller population than Pakistan, to be fair).
MobHappy points out: Why Emerging Markets Get So Much Attention…
What have I been saying? Oh boy oh boy, and the parameters are all converging nicely for growth in the emerging markets similar to the growth we saw in 99-01 in Europe and Asia. Are we ready, though? Link: Why…