The number of mobile phone subscribers in the world will reach 5.9 billion by 2013, predicts market research firm Infonetics.

 

Campbell, Calif.-based communications industry market research firm argues that the increasing number of mobile phone subscribers in China and India are making Asia Pacific the world’s largest mobile subscriber region.

 

“The global recession did not prevent people from using communication services, but it clearly accelerated the pace of wireline-to-mobile substitution. China, which had half a billion mobile subscribers in 2008, and India together make Asia Pacific the world’s largest mobile subscriber region, now and into the future,” says Stéphane Téral, Infonetics Research’s (News - Alert) principal analyst for mobile and FMC infrastructure.

 

Infonetics Research also said access lines are disappearing fast in China, because people are switching from fixed phones to wireless devices. And copper lines are being replaced by fiber cables, and people are cutting costs by using only one phone.

 

“The EMEA region is next, with strong growth driven by Africa. Mobile subscriptions will continue to grow strongly over at least the next five years, driven mainly by basic voice service needs in these regions, particularly in BRIC countries, Brazil, Russia, India and China,” projects St phane.

 

According to the analyst, there were nearly 4 times more mobile subscribers than access line subscribers worldwide in 2008 – 3.9 billion versus 1 billion.

 

The number of mobile subscribers grew 17.4 percent in 2008 over 2007, while access line subscribers declined 5.5 percent.

 

The number of PON FTTH subscribers worldwide is expected to soar at a compound annual growth rate of 32 percent from 2008 to 2013, says the analyst.

 

Other highlights of the report include: