The number of net new mobile phone subscribers in the world fell sharply in the fourth quarter of 2008 and the growth of mobile data revenues stalled for the first time, providing further evidence of the impact of the global economic downturn on the mobile telecoms sector.

The decline in data revenues is particularly worrying for the industry because most network operators, especially those in the more mature developed markets, are counting on expanding revenues from data services such as internet browsing and multi- media downloads to offset flat or declining revenues from traditional voice traffic.

Figures compiled by Informa Telecoms & Media, a London-based telecoms industry consultancy, show that the total of new subscribers to a mobile phone service fell 15 per cent to 162m in the final quarter of 2008.