Worldwide cellular connections pass 2.5 billion
The total number of cellular connections in the world reached 2.5 billion, having passed through the 2 billion mark just 12 months ago, according to estimates from Wireless Intelligence - the venture between Ovum and the GSM Association.
Earlier
in June this year the mobile phone industry will celebrated another
historic milestone as it connects the second
billionth GSM mobile phone user in the world.
The cellular industry took 20 years to reach 1 billion connections, 3 years to reach 2 billion connections and is on target to reach 3rd billion in a period of just over 2 years, according to Wireless Intelligence.
Worldwide growth is currently running at over 40 million new connections per month - the highest volume of growth the market has ever seen.
Over the four quarters to the end of September 2006, world total net additions were 484 million. Of these, 41% were in Asia Pacific. Eastern Europe and Latin America together accounted for 30% of the growth. Africa took 10% of the growth and the relatively mature markets of Western Europe, North America and the Middle East took the remaining 20% in more or less equal measure.
The top ten countries for volume of new connections over the last year were China, India, Russia, USA, Pakistan, Ukraine, Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria and Bangladesh. Between them, they account for over half of the growth in the world cellular market over the last 12 months.
A quarter of the growth is coming from China and India. China's market is still expanding at more than 5 million new connections per month. India has moved rapidly up the top ten list, with the rate of new connections quadrupling over the last 18 months to reach a level very close to China's.
According to Wireless Intelligence forecasts the next half billion new connections will take a little longer to be added - 16 months - meaning that the market is on track to reach 3 billion connections around the end of 2007.
