re: GSM: Subs Yes - Mobile Internet No
>> "GSM Continues To Lead Global Subscriber Growth, But Lags Behind On Mobile Internet"
At a seminar to launch the EMC World Cellular Review (available on CD ROM in March 2001) Managing Director Julian Herbert delivered mixed news for the GSM world: with a subscription base of more than 440 million worldwide at the end of 2000, GSM networks now represent more than 60% of the cellular wireless world. Despite this leading position, GSM operators do not dominate the list of the world's biggest 10 mobile internet subscriber bases. NTT DoCoMo (PDC), KDDI, J-Phone, LG Telecom and KT Freetel (CDMA) are the top five, with over 30 million mobile internet users in total. The biggest GSM mobile internet user base is BT Cellnet in the UK, with between 1.2 and 1.5 million.
The EMC World Cellular Review is a powerful market overview containing 120 Powerpoint slides, together with the data provided in Excel format. The slides provide regional, technological and forecast summaries. At the launch in Cannes on Tuesday 20 February Julian Herbert demonstrated that basic voice and 2G applications still provide substantial opportunities for growth.
Presenting the Regional Focus of the EMC World Cellular Review, Head of Forecasting and Analysis, Michèle Scanlon presented overviews of the market players and opportunities in Brazil, India, Nigeria and China. The proposed moves from TDMA to GSM were examined and set in context of the impact on the GSM market in Latin Amercia.
The presentation concluded with a series of EMC's statements on the future of the cellular world:
* Despite prominence given to data, voice still dominates in respect of revenue and growth
* Over the next 2 years (China, C Europe, Latin America, Africa) 2nd, 3rd 4th centile countries will dominate subscriber growth
* Emergence of the 'regional player' with consolidation in regional hubs
* Ongoing consolidation amongst major players creating pan-region/global strategies
* Consistent with EMC's statement made at the GPRS Congress (May 2000),
* GPRS handsets will not ship in volume until H2 2001
* CDMA 1x will ship in volume from Q4 2001
* Full W-CDMA service will not be available until Q1 2003, due to the late availability of handsets (from late Q4 2002). <<
- Eric - |
