In-Stat: Asia Could be World’s Largest Mobile Market Within a Decade

According to a new report from In-Stat, Asia is primed to become the largest regional mobile telecommunications market in the world over the next five to ten years. The report estimates that there were nearly 740 million mobile users in Asia (including Japan, Australia, and New Zealand) with total revenue of roughly US$180 billion in 2004. , the high-tech market research firm says. By 2009, In-Stat predicts Asian mobile telecom revenues will reach over US$260 billion.

Bryan Wang at In-Stat said, "In-Stat sees Asia as the most exciting market for investors, operators, equipment vendors, and handset manufacturers. Operators like NTT DoCoMo and Singapore Telecom are seeking investment opportunities to expand outside their home markets.”

A recent report by In-Stat entitled, "Asia Wireless Annual Report: Subscribers, Handsets, and Infrastructure" found the following:

• South Korean handset vendors like Samsung and LG are significantly gaining market share in both high-end products and in developing markets.
• In the equipment area, Sony Ericsson is still winning within the region, with its advanced technologies and R&D facilities, extensive infrastructure, great product quality, and successful marketing strategies.
• US equipment vendors like Motorola and Lucent have made significant headway in the Asian market because of their large new deployments of CDMA technology.