Pyramid Research: Global Mobile Subscriptions to Exceed 2.6bn by Year End 2006

Pyramid Research predicts that "there will be 2.6bn mobile subscribers worldwide by year-end 2006, up from 2.3bn in 2005. Between 2006 and 2010, it expects total mobile subscribers to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.7%, topping 3.5bn by year-end 2010. The number of mobile subscribers will top the 3bn mark during late 2007/ early 2008."

Leslie Arathoon at Pyramid Research said, “We believe there is considerable upside potential for our forecasts pending the introduction of new business models focusing on low-end users."

Pyramid's latest forecasts indicate that "Africa/Middle East will be the fastest growing region with a subscriber CAGR of 13.6% over the next five years. Asia Pacific and Latin America follow closely, posting CAGRs of 10.9% and 9.4% respectively. Western Europe will sustain an average growth of 2.8% per year, while North America is forecasted to post a 6.0% increase."

Arathoon added, “Although penetration rates in Western and Eastern Europe have exceeded or neared 100%, thereby signaling limited growth potential from a subscription perspective in these markets, penetration in Africa/Middle East, Latin America and developing Asia Pacific has substantial room for growth."

Pyramid Research also expected "total mobile revenues to surpass total fixed communications service revenues in 2006 for the first time, with mobile operators generating US$653bn to fixed operators’ $608bn."