Global service provider revenue from mobile video services jumped 317 percent to almost $200 million from 2005 to 2006, claims Infonetics, which goes on to predict that it will triple in 2007. The number of mobile video subscribers increased more than 300 percent over the same time frame, and will hit 46 million by 2010 on the back of better handsets and increased investment in 3G networks.

Asia Pacific will dominate the subscriber base with 57 percent of the world’s total in 2006, followed by EMEA at 31 percent, North America at 10 percent and CALA at 3 percent. The report also notes that “SK Telecom in Korea and NTT DoCoMo in Japan offer their mobile video services essentially free, a major reason Asia Pacific’s share of mobile video service revenue is about half that of EMEA, despite having almost twice as many subscribers”, but predicts that ARPU will increase significantly in all regions by 2010, tripling in Asia Pacific and doubling in CALA… I’m not sure how that’s going to work in places like North America where services are relatively expensive. (release)