Taipei, July 30, 2008 (CENS)--The subscriber number of mobile Internet access in Taiwan reached 12.46 million in the first quarter of this year, an increase of 620,000 new subscribers from previous quarter, while the fixed-line broadband subscribers were 4.66 million during the period, a quarterly increase of 20,000 or year-on-year (YoY) increase of 150,000 new subscribers, according to FIND (Forecasting Innovative New Digiservices) of Institute for Information Industry (III).
FIND is an authoritative website that provides abundant and professional information on Internet demographics and trends. Latest data release by FIND showed that major momentum for the high growth in mobile Internet access subscribers in the first quarter came mainly from increased Personal Handyphone System (PHS) and third-generation (3G) mobile telecom subscribers, total number of which has outstripped nine million in the first quarter and accounted for over 73% of the total mobile Internet users.
On the contrary, number of general packet radio service (GPRS) service subscribers declined 410,000, or 11%, to 3.39 million in the first quarter from the fourth quarter of 2007, and showed a sign for continuous decrease trend. Only 40,000 subscribers still kept their wireless application protocol (WAP) mobile Internet services, FIND said.
The rapid increase of mobile Internet users in Taiwan has made online music download by cellphone a very hot business. Related data showed that number of potential subscribers of such service is about 2.94 million, and each of whom is willing to pay a monthly average of about NT$146.4 (US$4.8 at US$1: NT$30.5) for it. That means, FIND pointed out, the market revenue of cellphone music download is about NT$29.3 billion (US$960.66 million) per year.
The xDSL (digital subscriber line) fixed-line broadband subscribers declined 90,000, a quarter decrease of 2.4%, in the first quarter to reach 3.55 million, accounting for 76% of the total broadband subscribers. Thanks to operators` aggressive promotions and the government`s support, number of optical-fiber broadband subscribers has climbed to 650,000 in the first quarter, an increase of 100,000 subscribers from the end of 2006.
Mobile Internet Subscribers in Taiwan |
Category | Q1, 2008 (10,000 subscribers) | Q4, 2007 (10,000 subscribers) |
3G | 756 | 653 |
PHS | 148 | 147 |
GPRS | 339 | 380 |
WAP | 4 | 5 |
Total | 1,246 | 1,184 |
Source: FIND, National Communications Commission (NCC) |
(by Quincy Liang)
