Latest figures released by the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) has shown that mobile-broadband penetration is approaching
32 per cent of the global population, just as three billion Internet users will
exist by end of this year, 2014, reports ITRealms.
The latest figures contained in its 2014 Information and
Communication Technology (ICT) Reports made available to ITRealms on Monday indicated that, by
end 2014 there would be almost 3 billion Internet users, two-thirds of them
coming from the developing world, and that the number of mobile-broadband
subscriptions reaching 2.3 billion globally.
ITU Secretary-General, Dr. Hamadoun I. Touré revealed to ITRealms that 55 per cent of these
subscriptions are expected to be in the developing world.
“The newly released ICT figures confirm once again that
information and communication technologies continue to be the key drivers of
the information society,” he said.
Brahima Sanou, the Director of ITU’s Telecommunication
Development Bureau, noted that for adequate understanding of the information
society, there is need to measure it, stressing that “Without measurement we
cannot track progress or identify gaps which require our attention.”
The fixed-telephone subscriptions, the report noted has
continued to decline, which result shows that fixed-telephone penetration has
been declining for the past five years. By end 2014, there will be about 100
million fewer fixed-telephone subscriptions than in 2009.
Mobile-cellular subscriptions, ITU stated is expected to hit
nearly 7 billion, pointing out that 3.6 billion of these will be in the
Asia-Pacific region.
“The increase is mostly due to growth in the developing
world where mobile-cellular subscriptions will account for 78 per cent of the
world’s total,” official said.
Data show that mobile-cellular growth rates have reached
their lowest-ever level (2.6% globally), indicating that the market is
approaching saturation levels.
Africa and Asia and the Pacific, where penetration will
reach 69 per cent and 89 per cent, respectively by end 2014, are the regions
with the strongest mobile-cellular growth (and the lowest penetration rates).
Penetration rates in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Arab States,
the Americas and Europe have reached levels above 100 per cent and are expected
to grow at less than two per cent in 2014. The region with the highest
mobile-cellular penetration rate is the CIS.
On the growth in fixed-broadband penetration slowing in developing
countries, ITU says that by end 2014, fixed-broadband penetration will have reached
almost 10 per cent globally.
Forty-four per cent, ITRealms gathered that of all fixed-broadband subscriptions are
in Asia and the Pacific, and 25 per cent are in Europe. In contrast, Africa
accounts for less than 0.5 per cent of the world’s fixed-broadband
subscriptions, and despite double-digit growth over the last four years,
penetration in Africa remains very low.
Africa, the Arab States, and CIS are the only regions with
double-digit fixed-broadband penetration growth rates. The Americas region
stands out with the lowest growth in fixed broadband penetration, estimated at
2.5 per cent and reaching a penetration rate of around 17 per cent by end 2014.
Europe’s fixed-broadband penetration is much higher compared with other regions
and almost three times as high as the global average.
Mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach 2.3 billion
globally, just as penetration will reach 32 per
cent by end 2014; in developed countries, mobile-broadband penetration will
reach 84 per cent, a level four times as high as in developing countries (21%).
The number of mobile-broadband subscriptions will reach 2.3 billion globally
and 55 per cent of all mobile-broadband subscriptions are expected to be in the
developing world.
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