In the next three years, 1 billion new mobile subscribers will join the current base of 2.8 billion, according to Pyramid Research's “The Next Billion: How Emerging Markets Are Shaping the Mobile Industry" report.




Pyramid said that 87% of the next billion mobile subscribers will come from emerging economies.

The company also said that India will add the most subscribers. But while India and China are the fastest-growing mobile markets, they will account for only 35% of the next billion mobile users.

More than seven in 10 of the next billion mobile users will come from regions that are less than 50% urban.

By 2010, emerging economies will contribute only 40% of global mobile revenue because of their lower average revenue per user. However, these customers will still be profitable because they cost little to service.