European cell-phone market will double from 1999 to 2006, says analyst
Semiconductor Business News
(10/27/00, 03:20:11 PM EDT)
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. -- Fueled by some new and emerging Internet-enabled wireless technologies, the European cellular-phone business is projected to more than double over a seven-year period, according to a new report released here today by Frost & Sullivan Inc.
The European mobile-phone market is projected to jump from $23.7 billion in 1999, to $48.8 billion by 2006, according to Frost & Sullivan, a Mountain View, Calif.-based market research house. In terms of unit shipments, the Europe market is expected to grow from 103.2 million in 1999, to 212 million by 2006, they added.
Among the drivers for growth include three key wireless-data technologies: Bluetooth, general packet radio service (GPRS), and wireless application protocol (WAP), the report said. Other technologies, including location finding, digital-video cameras, and MP3, will also propel the usage of these devices.
The first cellular phones based on WAP technology fell short of expectations, but next-generation devices should be much improved over the previous products, said Jan ten Sythoff, who tracks the industry at Frost & Sullivan.
This, in turn, will drive the demand for wireless-enabled data and commerce, the analyst said. "Soaring demand for always on, all day wireless connection to the Internet, new billing models, and new content and applications will stimulate exceptional growth in the European market for mobile devices," he added. |
