The telecommunications market is poised for continued growth during 2014, with two of the main drivers being mobile technology and smartphones.
Expectations also point to a distinct possibility that there will be more mobile subscriptions than the global population, making the telecommunications sector the largest industry, in terms of employment, in the world.
This is according to Derick Roberts, CEO of wireless solutions provider TruTeq Devices, who says improvements in overall infrastructure around the globe have allowed for the speedy uptake of mobility and broadband. Indeed, in 2014, mobile broadband has become the fastest growth area for the overall telecoms sector.
What is expected to occur is that the number of Internet users will continue to grow globally as we witness the on-going penetration of both fixed and mobile broadband – which will become more available. This will galvanise the increase in Internet users.
Additionally, many of the benefits of the fast-growing telecommunications industry – and for its providers – will be seen in opportunities such as social and economic benefits, healthcare, education, digital economy, businesses, new job creation, and the green economy.
Roberts says that all of these priority industry sectors can be created – and served – on top of a strong global telecommunications infrastructure.
“But it can certainly be claimed that the global telecoms market landscape has changed massively in the last few years.”
Figures show that there are far more mobile broadband subscribers worldwide today than the number of fixed broadband subscribers.
According to BuddeComm, a global independent telecommunications research and consultancy company specialising in strategic business reports, Asia currently has the most mobile broadband connections.
Fixed Internet users continues to grow with around 2,9-billion forecast for 2014; On the back of this, mobile subscriptions are expected to surpass the global population by the end of 2014 – and AT&T, NTT and Verizon are among the top carriers worldwide in terms of sales.
