Analysys: USA messaging market set for rapid growth

Missed this one, but Analysys has issued a reprot that find mobile messaging revenue in the U.S. "increased by 106% in 2004 and is expected to continue to grow strongly over the next five years from its current low base." The report also found that "mobile data accounted for just 4.8% of operators’ total mobile services revenue in the USA, compared to 15.9% in Western Europe and 22.0% in Japan."

Analysys predicted that by 2008, "mobile messaging alone will account for 10% (USD16.4 billion) of operators’ total mobile services revenue. Alex Zadvorny at Analysys said, “As well as implementing messaging interoperability, US operators have introduced large bundles of various types of messaging services, which can be very attractive to customers."

Zadvorny added, "For a flat monthly fee, a subscriber can now sign up for a messaging bundle and send any combination of text, instant, picture and video messages. T-Mobile USA, for example, is currently offering ‘messaging value bundles’, which allow customers to send and receive 400, 1000 or unlimited messages per month for USD4.99, USD9.99 and USD14.99, respectively. Such bundles have the potential to significantly increase usage and revenue from messaging, and could be implemented by operators in other markets."