Global mobile data revenues from services other than SMS exceeded $10 billion (4.9 billion) in Q1 2007, according to Informas World Cellular Data Metrics (WCDM). The total of $11.3 billion compares with US$8.1 billion in Q1 2006. The figure means that nearly one third of mobile data revenues now come from non-SMS services, suggesting operators investments in advanced technologies are finally reaping rewards, Informa says.
But, the analyst continues, this does not mean the end of the road for SMS. Worldwide SMS traffic was up year-on-year by around 50% to more than 620 billion messages in Q1 2007, according to WCDM. SMS revenues were up 23% over the same period, helping total data revenues to reach $34.3 billion in the quarter, the highest ever. The higher increase in SMS traffic, compared to revenue, reflects lower SMS tariffs, and the greater availability of bundled packages.
Out of 70 operators tracked in WCDM, the proportion of data revenues coming from non-SMS ranged vastly, from just 1% (Vodafone Egypt) to over 70% (KTF, Korea). You can see the full set of stats here. 
