The number of mobile users worldwide will surpass two billion by 2007, although the growth rate between now and then will slow almost to a standstill, according to projections from InStat/MDR.
This ‘catastrophic slowdown’ comes as penetration in western Europe approaches 83.6% in 2007 – a virtual saturation point in the market. As a result, the compound annual growth rate in the number of mobile customers in the region will be just 1.2% in the 2002-2007 period.
InStat’s forecasts concur with those of Forrester Research which has predicted an 80% penetration in mobile users across the whole of Europe by 2008. Forrester also describes this as a saturation point, after which growth is likely to stall (see European Mobile Penetration Will Hit 80% Ceiling, Says Forrester).
Forrester’s figures predict that there will be 48.4 million mobile customers in the UK by 2008, comprising 79% of the population.
