Chart of the Day: Mobile service revenue enters third year of contraction

It fell 1.5% YoY in Q3.

This chart from RHB Research shows the telco industry’s mobile service revenue (MSR) fell 1.5% YoY in 3Q2017 – the eighth successive quarter of decline – owing to protracted usage and roaming revenue weakness.

Industry MSR fell 1.8% YoY in 9M2017, in line with the guidance by the telcos and our projection of a low single-digit decline for 2017.

Of the three operators, M1’s MSR surged 3.4% QoQ and outperformed its peers.

The stronger growth was attributed to the increasing traction of Circles.Life, which has seen its market share creep up over the past four quarters, and data revenue uplift.

MSR is projected to ease a further 2-3% YoY in 2018, marking the third year of consecutive YoY decline.