The research titled TMT Trends: Predictions 2006 by Deloitte indicates that among global communication service users, up to two-thirds will belong to mobile networks, with many individuals owning more than two mobile subscriptions.
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Paul Lee. (Deloitte) |
Rapid growth is also evident in broadband connections, which are expected to reach 300 million subscriptions worldwide this year. Deloitte also forecasts that the Internet voice service (VoIP) will double its subscriptions by the end of 2006, reaching 40 million. By 2010, most businesses are anticipated to implement VoIP as it offers a cheaper and more efficient solution compared to traditional telephone networks. Deloitte’s research employs a method of “double counting” the total number: one VoIP user may be counted as three because they use VoIP, ADSL, and also a telephone line connected to the Internet. The research firm states that they intentionally apply this assessment method because these services are billed separately. “We want to emphasize that when new communication solutions emerge, they often complement rather than eliminate each other,” Paul Lee, Deloitte’s research director and the report’s author, stated.
Lee believes that third-generation networks (3G) are also facing significant challenges due to high construction costs that have yet to generate substantial profits for providers. “Some applications generate considerable revenue per megabyte of data, such as SMS messages, while many others provide little value, like video content,” Lee explained. “The telecommunications industry needs to focus on what is valuable to users and concentrate on generating revenue per capita rather than revenue per service.
