$1.1 billion growth in the Italian mobile data market in 4 years

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 27, 2006 -- Data from Wireless World Forum�s �Italy Mobile Market 2006� statistical handbook shows that the data market will be worth $3.8 billion in 2007 a growth of $1.1 billion since 2004.

Italy has the third highest penetration rate in the world with a 100% penetration rate in the 15 to 54 age range. With little room for growth in terms of subscriber numbers, competition between operators turns to pricing strategies leading ARPU to fall by 3.4% a year to end on $32.4pcm by 2007.

Rising ARPU from data services and the ability of operators to distinguish themselves via data services remains the best opportunity for operators to stem falling ARPU.

Three, the operator with the highest ARPU for data services was the only operator to increase its market share in 2005, making inroads into the market share of the two largest operators TIM and Vodafone. Wind, the budget operator, maintained a constant market share.