Developing Telecoms | 4.6 billion mobile subscriptions by the end of 2009 but digital divide continues – ITU

17 May 2012

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4.6 billion mobile subscriptions by the end of 2009 but digital divide continues – ITU

Wednesday, 14 October 2009 09:38 | James Barton

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According to a new report from the ITU, The World in 2009: ICT facts and figures, mobile technology is acting as the driving force behind rapid international ICT growth. Based on current trends, ITU expects global mobile subscriptions to reach 4.6 billion by the end of the year, while mobile broadband subscriptions will top 600 million in 2009, having already outstripped fixed broadband subscriptions in 2008.

Mobile growth appears to be continuing unabated, with developing nations in particular now launching IMT2000 / 3G networks and offering related services commercially. However, the report also identifies significant regional discrepancies, making it clear that the digital divide is far from being bridged.

Africa in particular suffers from a low mobile broadband penetration rate, with only one fixed broadband subscriber for every 1000 inhabitants – in Europe, the figure is around 200 subscribers per 1000 people. The relative prices for ICT services – and broadband in particular - are also highest in Africa, the region with the lowest income levels.

Worldwide, high-speed internet access has seen massive growth, with fixed broadband subscriber numbers more than tripling from 150 million in 2004 to an estimated 500 million by the end of 2009. The report finds that China overtook the US at the end of 2008 as the world’s largest fixed broadband market.

Sami Al Basheer, Director, Telecommunication Development Bureau, said “We are encouraged to see so much growth across developed and developing regions, but there is still a large digital divide, and an impending broadband divide, which needs to be addressed urgently. Heads of State and industry leaders [must] collaborate…to identify the right policies and regulations to support and encourage future ICT growth worldwide.”

The report highlights the huge market growth potential of converged devices in developing countries. As mobile, internet and television continue increasingly to overlap, the high TV penetration rate of developing markets demonstrates this potential. Dr Hamadoun Touré, ITU Secretary-General, says “ICTs are vital within developing countries to ensure that ordinary people can fully participate in the knowledge of the 21^st century. We have seen a positive impact on services such as health and education in markets where ICT growth has been strong.”

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