Vodafone figures show jump in 3G devices

Vodafone stuck to its outlook guns this morning when it released a trading statement that showed data revenue growth far outstripping the increase in dreary old voice. The UK-based mobile telco said revenues for the quarter ending 30 June were £8.25bn, up 7.5 per cent, or four per cent organically. Voice revenue was £5.9bn, up …

[Chad H.]

organic growth?

is that like, growth without preservatives or additives?

[Anonymous Coward]

A little more analysis, please

Revenues up in total, yes but also some alarming developments:

-11,9% ARPU in Germany and presumably elsewhere in Europe compensated by growth in Turkey and India.

[Anonymous Coward]

That's because they've realised...

... that really people just want a plain old IP data service from 3G, and none of the video calling that the mobile providers were originally trying to push.

The 3G USB dongle is now available for £25/month - which IMHO is a reasonable price for a genuinely useful service. No wonder they've sold more than when they were charging silly amounts for a far less useful service :-)

[Danny Thompson]

Its all about price

Vodafone, and the others, are slowly - very slowly - getting the simple message. That their Data pricing has been punitively expensive until recent times. Voda's Data tariffs are still not the best around, but even their modest decrease has resulted in these rather good figures. One can only hope that they learn the lesson from this experience, reduce the price even more, commoditise Mobile Data and get the masses buying it. They'll make more money than they can shake a stick at if they just pressed forward with it. Take the Wal*Mart approach - stack 'em high, sell 'em cheap. Volume sales will take care of the rest.

Other 3G technologies like Videocalling have floundered in the same "too expensive" pit and hence the take-up has been lamentable. Make the cost the same as voice calling, include Videocalling use in the bundled minutes and use of the service will increase dramatically - prompting the buying public to buy larger bundles even!

Forget "Content" and get back to basics - sell communications, communications, communications (pardon the Blairism).

It takes a bold approach by these typically conservative ex-PTTs. They don't traditionally have the stomach for being bold. But the evidence is everywhere to be seen - bring prices down and the uptake of whatever it is that you are selling increases exponentially!