India's mobile data consumption nearly doubled in 2012, with 3G traffic increasing a whopping 196%, Nokia Siemens estimates.
In the second half of the year, 3G traffic growth was almost triple that of 2G, the vendor said in a new study. And 3G users currently consume an average of nearly 300% more data than a 2G user.
Nokia Siemens attributes the strong 3G data growth to a round of 3G tariff cuts in mid-2012, whereby major operators reduced 3G data rates by around 70%.
Data consumed over 3G devices accounted for a third of total mobile data generated in India in the second half of 2012.
But there are signs that this 3G data growth does not translate to strong enough subscriber gains. India Today reports that operators have been further reducing their 3G tariffs and adding significant incentives in a bid to lure more customers onto 3G.
According to the report, operators including Bharti Airtel have gradually cut some of their 3G plans by a further 10-15%, and some are co-operating with handset makers to offer three months of free 3G services bundled with smartphones.
Another motivating factor for the cuts is the impending arrival to the market of Reliance Industries, which plans to roll out a nationwide TD-LTE network.