The average revenue per user (ARPU) of mobile customers in Europe has fallen since 2011, reaching an estimated 14.7 euros per month in 2021. The figure is forecast to remain at this level through to 2025.

Shrinking costs yet rising use of mobile broadband

The decline of mobile broadband ARPU can partially be attributed to high competition and increased usage of data over voice. The cost of data associated with messaging apps like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, whose popularity has been on the rise, is relatively low compared to the cost of voice calls – resulting in a decline of total ARPU.

Despite this decrease in mobile ARPU, data makes up an increasingly important part of the mobile communication landscape. Mobile data traffic has skyrocketed in countries like the UK, and the gap between mobile and fixed call minutes has been increasing since 2011.

5G on the horizon   

The rise of 5G mobile networks in addition to 3G and 4G will only enhance the use of mobile broadband. Offering even minimum data speeds over 20 Mbps faster than 4G, as well as a much greater maximum bandwidth, 5G is set to revolutionize mobile data not just for consumers, but also for a range of commercial and industrial applications. By 2027, it is expected that the number of 5G connections will grow to nearly 664 million in Europe alone.

This statistic shows the average revenue per user (ARPU) of mobile data in Europe from 2008 to 2016 (in euros per month). The ARPU showed an increase from 2008 to 2016. It stood at 4 euros per month in 2008 and reached 6.2 euros per month in 2016.Mobile network operators (MNO) or virtual mobile network operators (MVNO) have to make up for the drop in revenue through mobile voice services in one way or another. One way this has been offset was by an increase in the ARPU for the mobile data. The mobile voice ARPU trend has shown an downward tendency since 2008.

Analysis of ‘Average Revenue per User (ARPU) in the Retail Mobile Market’ provided by Analyst-2 (analyst-2.ai), based on source dataset retrieved from http://data.europa.eu/88u/dataset/naujdkauikiwx0yftdz86q on 07 January 2022.

--- Dataset description provided by original source is as follows ---

Total retail mobile revenues divided by number of active SIM cards

Original source

Electronic communications market indicators collected by Commission services, through National Regulatory Authorities, for the Communications Committee (COCOM) - January and July reports.:

http://ec.europa.eu/digital-agenda/about-fast-and-ultra-fast-internet-access

Parent dataset

This dataset is part of of another dataset:

http://digital-agenda-data.eu/datasets/digital_agenda_scoreboard_key_indicators

--- Original source retains full ownership of the source dataset ---

Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: All India data was reported at 180.910 INR/Month in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 171.000 INR/Month for Sep 2024. Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: All India data is updated quarterly, averaging 103.500 INR/Month from Mar 2006 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 76 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 298.000 INR/Month in Mar 2006 and a record low of 57.000 INR/Month in Sep 2018. Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: All India data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User.

In the first half of 2019, mobile data's monthly average revenue per user (ARPU) in Brazil amounted to 16.42 Brazilian reals. This is nearly 175 percent more than the less than the six real-ARPU recorded five years before, in 2014. Meanwhile, mobile voice's monthly ARPU decreased by 62 percent between 2014 and the first half of 2019, when it added up to 4.85 reals.

The average revenue per user (ARPU) of mobile broadband customers in Europe has fallen steadily since 2011, reaching an estimated 14.8 euros per month in 2018. This is a decrease of 22.9 percent on the ARPU generated in 2011.

Shrinking need for mobile broadband

The decline of mobile broadband, as demonstrated by the falling ARPU and the diminishing penetration rate in countries such as the United Kingdom (UK), can partially be attributed to the increased speeds and reliability that comes with 3G and 4G mobile networks. Instead of relying on a dongle or datacard, users can connect directly from their phone, or connect a laptop to the internet using a mobile device to create a tethered connection.

One sign of this phenomenon is the increased volume of data consumed by mobile users in many regions. In March 2011, the average monthly mobile data used per active SIM card in Great Britain (GB) reached .11 gigabytes. By June 2017, average data volumes increased to 1.9 gigabytes per active British SIM card.

5G on the horizon   

5G is the primary tech that looks set to change how we connect in the future. Offering peak speeds up to 20x faster than 4G and a much greater maximum bandwidth, 5G should revolutionize mobile data not just for consumers, but for a range of commercial and industrial applications. By 2025, it is expected that the number of 5G connections will grow to 1.1 billion worldwide.

Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GAll India data was reported at 181.800 INR/Month in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 172.570 INR/Month for Sep 2024. Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GAll India data is updated quarterly, averaging 121.500 INR/Month from Sep 2004 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 82 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 404.000 INR/Month in Sep 2004 and a record low of 67.000 INR/Month in Sep 2018. Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GAll India data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User. [COVID-19-IMPACT]

During the period from 2015 to 2019, Telefonica (O2) UK average revenue per user (ARPU) generated from mobile data decreased each year from 11.3 euros in 2015 to to 8.6 euros in 2019. In 2020, however, their ARPU increased to 9.7 euros.

Spain Average Revenue per User: Mobile data was reported at 83.960 EUR in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 91.750 EUR for 2015. Spain Average Revenue per User: Mobile data is updated yearly, averaging 193.680 EUR from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 252.860 EUR in 2007 and a record low of 83.960 EUR in 2016. Spain Average Revenue per User: Mobile data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Commission of Markets and Competition. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.TB010: Revenue.

The average revenue per user (ARPU) in the mobile data segment of the communication services market in Thailand was forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by 7.24 U.S. dollars. According to this forecast, in 2029, the revenue per user will have increased for the fifth consecutive year to 50.88 U.S. dollars.

India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GBSNL/MTNL data was reported at 38.000 INR/Month in Dec 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 40.000 INR/Month for Sep 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GBSNL/MTNL data is updated quarterly, averaging 102.500 INR/Month from Mar 2006 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 391.000 INR/Month in Mar 2006 and a record low of 38.000 INR/Month in Dec 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GBSNL/MTNL data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User.

In Italy, the average revenue per mobile user per SIM card from voice and mobile data services decreased from 2013 to 2023, For instance, the ARPU per SIM card generated from mobile data services amounted to 42 euros in 2022, down from 70 euros in 2017.

India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: BSNL/MTNL data was reported at 32.000 INR/Month in Dec 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 33.000 INR/Month for Sep 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: BSNL/MTNL data is updated quarterly, averaging 89.500 INR/Month from Mar 2006 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 3,674.000 INR/Month in Mar 2006 and a record low of 32.000 INR/Month in Dec 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: BSNL/MTNL data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User.

Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: CDMA: Prepaid: All India data was reported at 16.000 INR/Month in Jun 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 24.000 INR/Month for Mar 2018. Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: CDMA: Prepaid: All India data is updated quarterly, averaging 61.000 INR/Month from Mar 2006 (Median) to Jun 2018, with 50 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 184.000 INR/Month in Mar 2006 and a record low of 16.000 INR/Month in Jun 2018. Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: CDMA: Prepaid: All India data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User.

India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GMetro data was reported at 159.020 INR/Month in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 155.030 INR/Month for Sep 2024. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GMetro data is updated quarterly, averaging 138.230 INR/Month from Mar 2006 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 76 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 420.000 INR/Month in Mar 2006 and a record low of 67.000 INR/Month in Dec 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GMetro data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User.

The annual average revenue per user (ARPU) from voice services in Italy decreased between 2013 and 2023. In 2023, the average revenue per user generated from mobile voice services amounted to 93 euros, whereas the ARPU coming from data calling services added up to 63 euros.

India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GCircle C data was reported at 63.000 INR/Month in Dec 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 61.000 INR/Month for Sep 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GCircle C data is updated quarterly, averaging 103.500 INR/Month from Mar 2006 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 52 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 378.000 INR/Month in Mar 2006 and a record low of 61.000 INR/Month in Sep 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GCircle C data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User.

India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: Metro data was reported at 148.890 INR/Month in Dec 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 144.910 INR/Month for Sep 2024. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: Metro data is updated quarterly, averaging 98.500 INR/Month from Mar 2006 (Median) to Dec 2024, with 76 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 295.000 INR/Month in Mar 2006 and a record low of 25.000 INR/Month in Mar 2018. India Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User: Mobile: GPrepaid: Metro data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. The data is categorized under India Premium Database’s Transportation, Post and Telecom Sector – Table IN.TE035: Telecommunication Service: Average Revenue Per User.

Spain Average Revenue per User: Mobile Broadband data was reported at 102.130 EUR in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 102.610 EUR for 2015. Spain Average Revenue per User: Mobile Broadband data is updated yearly, averaging 103.790 EUR from Dec 2011 (Median) to 2016, with 6 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 120.010 EUR in 2011 and a record low of 98.190 EUR in 2014. Spain Average Revenue per User: Mobile Broadband data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Commission of Markets and Competition. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Spain – Table ES.TB010: Revenue.

Significant fluctuations are estimated for all segments over the forecast period for the average spend per capita. Concerning the four selected segments, the segment Mobile Data has the largest average spend per capita with 478.69 U.S. dollars. Contrastingly, Mobile Voice is ranked last, with 119.18 U.S. dollars. Their difference, compared to Mobile Data, lies at 359.51 U.S. dollars. Find further statistics on other topics such as a comparison of the revenue change in the world and a comparison of the average spend per capita in Asia. The Statista Market Insights cover a broad range of additional markets.