The U.S. market grew 9.3 percent in 2006 to total $923 billion in revenue, and the worldwide telecommunications market grew 11.2% to total $3 trillion, according to the Telecommunications Industry Association’s (TIA’s) 2007 Telecommunications Market Review and Forecast.
In 2006, cable modems and DSL continued to dominate the U.S. market, capturing 96 percent of the broadband market, which in 2005 overtook dial-up access service. More than 12 million miles of fiber were deployed in 2006, up 9.1 percent from 2005, with nearly 10 million miles being deployed by the telephone companies. Though accounting for just 10 percent of U.S. wireless revenue in 2006, wireless data and multimedia services are forecast to make up 24 percent of all wireless revenue by 2010. Growth is also expected in VoIP, which is forecast to make up 34 percent of all U.S. residential landlines by 2010, or 25.5 million subscribers, up from just 10 percent and 9.5 million subscribers in 2006.
Worldwide, Europe has the largest telecommunications market, measuring at $1 trillion, with the U.S. second at $923 billion and Asia/Pacific third at $715 billion. Overall, the international market grew 12.1 percent in 2006. Middle East/Africa was the fastest- growing region, expanding at 21.6 percent. By 2010, the global market is expected to reach $4.3 trillion in revenue.
“Consumers are thirsty for broadband, and this report shows carriers are rushing to meet the demand,” said Grant Seiffert, TIA president. “Technologies like VoIP and broadband video, as well as new mobile data services, are sparking new growth in the telecommunications industry. As a result, carriers are offering more competitive all-in-one bundled packages, and consumers are seeing lower prices and more services.”http://www.tiaonline.org
