Mobile service revenues grew by just 3 percent in Q1 2009, down from 8 percent a year earlier, according to, "Wireless Operator Performance Benchmarking, Q1 2009," a report from the Strategy Analytics Wireless Network Strategies service.

Nearly 40 percent of all mobile operators saw revenues fall in Q1 2009, compared to just 16 percent in the same situation in Q1 2008. Mobile data revenues increased 17 percent in the first quarter and now represent 25.3 percent of total operator revenues, up 21.9 percent year-over-year and a 24 percent increase over Q4 2008.

The research, which tracks the operational and financial performance of the over 175 mobile operators who account for 80 percent of global subscribers, found that vanishing revenue growth was not just a problem in mature, saturated markets. One-quarter of the operators in emerging markets also saw service revenues fall in Q1 2009.

"Europe is seeing the greatest concentration of operators losing revenues at present,"  comments Phil Kendall, Director, Wireless Network Strategies. "This used to just be an issue for the more saturated, Western half, but has now extended to Central and Eastern Europe, too."

Susan Welsh de Grimaldo, Senior Analyst, Wireless Network Strategies adds, "In many other regions, operators recording revenue loss tend to be isolated cases where competitive pressure has hurt one operator more than others. However, in the Asia-Pacific, we are now seeing countries like Bangladesh, Indonesia and Thailand become tough environments for all players."