Global wireless mobile phone subscriber growth is currently experiencing robust expansion after several years of slower growth, stemming from the economic downturn of the last few years.
According to high-tech market research firm, In-Stat, the worldwide wireless market is forecast to grow to more than 2.3 billion subscribers, with an increasing battle for supremacy among different technology providers.
Commenting on the wireless market, David Chamberlain, In-Stat senior analyst said: “GMS’s steady growth through 2007 will turn negative as operators move subscribers to third generation (3G) wideband code division multiple access (WCDMA).”
He continued: “While second generation GMS system will remain the dominant airlink throughout the forecast period, CDMA airlink standards will soon encroach on GSM’s numbers. By 2009, WCDMA networks will be providing service for over 40% of the world’s CDMA users.”
In-Stat estimates the total number of new subscribers between 2004 and 2009 to reach 777.7 million worldwide, with China continuing to lead the world in terms of overall subscriber growth.
Nearly two-thirds of all new wireless users are predicted to be in Asia, while subscriber growth in Europe is forecast to continue to slow, stalling in Scandinavia and Western Europe.
This confirms In-Stat/MDR’s The Growth Returns – Worldwide Mobile Subscriber Forecasts 2004 – 2009 report, which predicts that China will continue to lead the world in overall subscriber growth, while Europe will continue to be slow and will actually stall in Scandinavia (see Growth Returns To Mobile Phone Market).
Recent research from market intelligence firm, IDC, forecast 3G subscriptions in the Asia Pacific region to rise by over 130 million in the next four years, reaching 142.6 million in 2009, from just 10.2 million in 2004 (see Consumer-Driven Mobile Data Revenues To Hit $71bn By 2007, Says Ovum).
According to IDC, one major advantage of 3G to providers is the opportunity to achieve higher average revenue per user (ARPU). In South Korea, the ARPU of 3G mobile data users is double that of their 2G counterparts.
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