US wireless phone users are predicted to increase in the next four years, with between 23% and 37% of US wireless subscribers using a wireless phone as their primary telephone by 2009, according to new research from In-Stat.
The high-tech market research firm reports around 9.4% of wireless subscribers in the US already use a wireless phone as their primary phone, and compared with earlier surveys, fewer consumers feel that a wired phone is necessary.
Commenting on the report’s findings, David Chamberlain, In-Stat analyst, said: “Those who are considering wireless substitution for landline are primarily motivated by lifestyle issues, as long as they don’t have to give up much in terms of quality, reliability, or services.”
He continued: “Wireless carriers can stimulate substitution by continuing to attract customers to advanced wireless features and educating them about availability of number portability.”
In-Stat also found that consumers who are most likely to consider replacing their landline phone with wireless are already heavy wireless users, while among those with a landline and a wireless phone, resistance to wireless substitution has dropped dramatically since 2003.
The telecommunications market is going from strength to strength, with world-wide mobile phone sales totalling 190.5 million units in the second quarter of 2005, up by 21.6% year on year, according to research and analysis company Gartner (see Global Mobile Phone Sales Hit 190.5 Million Units In Q2 2005).
This prediction is confirmed by the latest edition of the Global Mobile Forecasts report from Informa Telecoms & Media, claiming that almost half of new subscriptions will be in the Asia Pacific, with India and China accounting for over 30% of the region’s total (see Global Mobile Market To Reach 3 Billion By 2010).
According to Informa, the global mobile market is expected to pass two billion subscribers by 2005 and is predicted to approach three billion by 2010.
However, while the mobile phone market keeps increasing, the rate of growth is predicted to slow from the double digit rises the market has experienced over the past few years, with shipments expected to rise by just 6% year on year, according to high-tech market research firm In-Stat (see Mobile Phone Market Starting To Slow).
The Humming Along: 2005 Mobile Phone Market Forecast shows world-wide handset revenue is predicted to reach $112 billion in 2005, with India, China and Eastern Europe leading growth in emerging markets.
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