Thanks for this, Darbygirl. Here's a little more market info. Italics are mine.
Mobilesubscriptions are expected to reach 4.6 billion at the end of thisyear, up 15% from about 4 billion at the end of 2008, the InternationalTelecommunications Union, or ITU, said Tuesday.
The sharpincrease comes despite the global financial crisis that has hurtconsumer demand, the ITU said, adding thatgrowth is sound as demandfor broadband services, which in some countries has been boostedthrough infrastructure stimulus packages, is rising.
The ITUsaid that mobile broadband subscriptions are expected to top 600million in 2009, while the number of fixed broadband subscribers isexpected to reach about 500 million, up more than three times the levelseen in 2004.
However,it noted that subscription numbers in third world countries in Africaare still low and need to be spurred with new and cheap technology.
"Weare encouraged to see so much growth across developed and developingregions, but there is still a large digital divide, which needs to beaddressed urgently," said Sami Al Basheer, Director of theTelecommunication Development Bureau.
In Africa, the ITU noted,there is only one fixed broadband subscriber for every 1,000inhabitants, compared with Europe where there are some 200 subscribersper 1,000 people.
"Information and communication technology, orICT, is vital within developing countries to ensure that ordinarypeople can fully participate in the knowledge economy of the 21stcentury," said Hamadoun Toure, ITU's Secretary-General."We have seen apositive impact on services such as health and education in marketswhere ICT growth has been strong," he added.
The data were released as part of the ITU Telecom World conference, which runs through oct. 9.