Global Mobile Subscription to Hit 9bn in 2017

A global survey report released weekend by Ericsson has predicted high increase in the growth of mobile subscriptions worldwide, estimating that the growth will reach 9 billion by the end of 2017.

The present global mobile subscription is put at 6.2 billion, but the actual number of subscribers is about 4.2 billion, since most people have several subscription.

It was noted that the growth rate reached 87 per cent in the first quarter of 2012, to attain the 6.2 billion mark, and that in the next five years, the number would reach the 9 billion mark.

The growth forecast was based on the increase in the number of smartphone  users in recent times across different regions of the world.

Head, Strategic Marketing and Intelligence for Ericsson, Mr. Patrick Cerwall, who spoke to the media on the forecast in Lagos through teleconferencing, said the report was the second release on global mobile subscription, after the first was released November 2011, explaining that Ericsson had always been accurate at its predictions.

The report revealed that out of the present 6.2 billion global mobile subscriptions, India and China accounted for approximately 40 per cent of the estimated 170 million addition in the first quarter of 2012, with China contributing 40 million subscription, and India contributing 25 million subscription.

Brazil contributed over 10 million, Indonesia contributed over 9 million and Bangladesh contributed over 5 million.

Just as mobile subscription growth is on the increase, the report noted that mobile broadband subscription also grew by 60 per cent year-on-year and has reached 1.1 billion. 

Giving regional report on the increased 6.2 billion mobile subscription as at first quarter of 2012, Cerwall said Western Europe had the highest contribution of 126 per cent, Central and Eastern Europe had 123 per cent growth, Latin America had 100 per cent growth, North America had 97 per cent growth, Middle East had 96 per cent growth, India had 70 per cent growth, China had 69 per cent growth, while Africa had 55 per cent growth. 

In Africa, Nigeria is believed to have contributed the highest in mobile subscriptions, according to Business Monitor International (BMI) report on Nigeria telecoms in the second quarter of 2012.
Industry trend showed that Nigeria’s mobile market grew by 9 per cent during 2011 to reach 95.167 million.

BMI calculated that that mobile penetration in Nigeria stood at 58.6 per cent at the end of 2011, up from 55.1 per cent, a year earlier, with explanation that GSM segment was the main growth driver for mobile subscriptions as Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) continued to record subscriber net losses.