Will iPad provide a new opportunity for mobile operators?

While the iPad launch has been successful in terms of device sales, there have been fewer breakout hits in terms of apps, perhaps with the exception of those from large media companies such as ABC and The Wall Street Journal.

The latest report from Pyramid Research points to the wider impact it thinks iPad could have in terms of mobile operators however.

The 3G version of iPad will be released in the US on 30 April, and is backed by a 250MB $15 per month or an unlimited $30 per month data plan exclusively from AT&T.

"The iPad, alongside other tablets, provides a compelling new opportunity for mobile operators to increase data subscriptions and hence revenues," says Jan ten Sythoff, the report's author.

With the iPad 3G more expensive than the wi-fi-only version (at least during the launch period), it will certainly be interesting to see the percentage breakdown between the two versions, if Apple ever releases such figures.

Some operators are already demonstrating the status of iPad as the hottest piece of consumer electronics enables innovative marketing strategies.

For example, Hutchison 3G Austria has announced it will subsidise the device on a two-year contract, charging €30 for 5GB per month, including a 3G/wi-fi modem to allow wi-fi iPads to connect to its mobile network.

The report - Apple's iPad: No Revolution, but a Potential Revenue Driver for Mobile Operators - is available now, priced $595.