Report details wireless data spending

US wireless subscribers spent $4.1 billion on data services in the third quarter of 2006, according to new research.

The research was conducted by IDC, a Framingham provider of market intelligence, which noted that there are more than 229 million US wireless subscribers who are spending an average of $6 per month on data services.

According to IDC, messaging contributed nearly half the data revenue.

The firm's research also found that about 20 percent of US subscribers currently purchase at least one ringtone every quarter.

Among national carriers, Verizon Wireless is today the overall leader in data services in terms of total wireless data revenue, data percentage of average revenue per user, and data spending, though Sprint Nextel and the other national carriers continue to lead in select services, IDC said.
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)