According to Huawei India, in India, revenue from data services will increase from $3.9 billion in 2011 to $19.3 billion by 2020.
In its report titled, ‘Connected possibilities: innovation, integration and inclusiveness,’ Huawei India says that with the government focusing on providing affordable broadband services to the masses, revenue from data services in the country will witness a four-fold jump between 2011 and 2020.
As per the report, the total broadband subscriber base in the country is expected to reach 563 million by 2020. Of this, about 450 million will be wireless subscribers while 113 million will be fixed line users. It estimates that the revenue from voice will decline from $34.7 billion in 2011 to $31.5 billion by 2020.
According to Huawei India, broadband penetration in rural areas is quite low possibly owing to lack of awareness and access to affordable technologies. The report says that currently the majority of content available is in English language, which might not be relevant to the population residing in rural areas. Therefore the government and the industry must focus on providing affordable devices and relevant content to ensure optimum connectivity. Also, the expected growth in the broadband segment can be achieved by setting up infrastructure in the hinterland.
The report concludes that with the government’s support for implementation of a nationwide national optical fibre network, broadband penetration is expected to get a major boost in rural India in the next few years.
