19 September 2007

In the Baltics, as everywhere aroundthe globe, the mobile phone has had a profound impact on everythingfrom office politics to dating. The world has, in the space of adecade, become utterly dependent on this convenience, and for certaincompanies, that dependence has translated into enormous profits. In theBaltics, however, the outlook for mobile companies isnt quite so rosy.This weeks Industry Insider takes a look at the mobile communicationsbusiness in the Baltics and the challenges it faces.

Riga - The mobile phone industry in the Baltics is under a squeeze.While phone users reach for their handsets at an ever-increasing rate,tough competition and new players have put a pinch on profits.
Thats good news for consumers however, who are being offered a wider range of products at ever-decreasing costs.

A recent Eurobarometer study found that Latvia and Lithuania havethe lowest mobile phone use prices in the European Union, and Estoniacomes in a close 7th. Low prices are fueled by increasingly intensecompetition that shows no signs of slowing down.