While the rest of the mobile ecosystem continues to expand inexorably as smartphones in general and Android in particular grows in leaps and bounds, when it comes to carrier-delivered mobile VAS (value added services) there's just not the same amount of action.

There is growth, it's just somewhat attenuated and flattening out, says Ovum.

Between 2013 and 2018 VAS is set to grow at just 10 per cent (CAGR) globally and the growth component is mostly driven by Asia-Pacific (China in particular) and Africa. That segment is expected to grow by 13 per cent CAGR.

Ovum says the Asia-Pacific region will contribute the majority of mobile VAS revenues because of the success of operators’ mobile services, particularly personalisation services.The widespread enthusiasm for personalisation in Asia and the strong role of the operator in China will also help to drive this trend.

Even so, the Asian experience is in stark contrast to the performance of operators in Europe. In Asia, says the report, the push is all from operators delivering relevant mobile services around mobile TV, connected home services, security and payment services.

In Europe there tends to be strong competition from OTT providers and as a result the VAS market will only grow by 7 per cent.

That Asia has now become the hotspot region for mobile telco VAS has not gone unonoticed. A new event,called TADS (Telecom Applications Developer Summit) is scheduled to take place in Bangkok, 21-22 November 2013. The organisers hope to stimulate telco-delivered mobile applications and services. (see - Recognising the telecoms apps developer)