3G Subscriptions Likely At Critical Mass By 2006

date: 10th December 2000, source: Yahoo

Subscriptions to third generation mobile services worldwide are expected to reach critical mass by 2006, according to a research report by U.K. telecommunications, information technology and new media consultancy Analysys.

The research, undertaken on behalf of U.K. mobile Internet software provider 3G LAB, predicts that the number of 3G mobile subscribers will represent about one- third of the total worldwide mobile subscriber base in 2006.

The forecast, which includes both negative and optimistic scenarios based on rates of penetration and handset replacement cycles, predicts that 2G subscriptions will peak between 2002 and 2003.

Analysys forecasts that by 2006, 3G services will have 480 million subscribers, compared with 480 million subscribers for 2.5G services and 380 million for 2G.

By 2010, 3G subscribers worldwide will number 1.04 billion, with the most optimistic projection putting the subscription level at 1.34 billion, compared with the worst case scenario of 744 million.

Mobile subscribers in western Europe will number 250 million by 2010, which compares to a worldwide mobile subscriber base of 1.6 billion, Analysys said.

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