Mobile Segment Dominates Future Telecom Market: IDC

The global mobile sector is worth about $850 billion and is already accounting for about 57 percent of the world’s telecom market. And this year, the segment is set to comprise 62 percent of the total telecom market, says latest research report from IDC (News - Alert).

 

An endless verity of smartphones, mobile broadband, and access to a stunning array of applications have been the key drivers behind the growth in the mobile segment, persuading people to switch from fixed line service to cellular service. Several trends and developments are also playing their part in the mobile market, which according to IDC will add 1.3 billion new subscribers by 2013.

 

The high-tech research firm has predicted that smartphones will continue to be a major driver of growth, while the emergence of connected devices like embedded laptops and machine-to-machine equipment will foster further growth.

 

“The expanding demographics of smartphones and new operating systems, the arrival of mobile broadband, and the explosive growth of applications and content are combining to reshape the landscape of mobile telecommunications,” said IDC’s Courtney Munroe.

 

IDC says price compression and the slowdown of revenue growth for mobile voice underline the need for operators to offer mobile data, mobile broadband, and different applications and features.

 

Smartphones have emerged as a key driver of the global mobile market, with 15 percent of all devices shipped. This phenomenon will be very important in both mature and emerging markets. Another key driver will be the emergence of connected devices, such as embedded laptops and a plethora of industrial/machine to machine devices, said the research firm.

 

More importantly, IDC says 2010 will bring substantial transformation in the mobile operating system market that was once dominated by a handful of pioneers, such as BlackBerry, Symbian, and Windows Mobile. Google Inc’s Android (News - Alert) platform, according to IDC, has already garnered strong handset vendor interest and is set to challenge the dominant players.

 

“In the infrastructure segment, mobile broadband will continue to be the focus for 2010. Operators in mature markets will continue implementing HSPA. WiMAX (News - Alert) will be a key driver in many emerging markets, while LTE will begin to take the limelight towards the end of the year and into 2011,” says IDC.