To say that mobile phones are a global phenomenon is a massive understatement. According to the GSM Association, June 2006 saw the total number of GSM mobile phone connections across the world reach an astounding 2 billion. New users are now signing up at an astonishing rate of 1,000 per minute (18 per second), driven by huge demand in emerging markets.


"This is the fastest growth of technology ever witnessed," said Craig Ehrlich, Chairman of the GSMA. "While it took just 12 years for the industry to reach the first billion connections. The second billion has been achieved in just two and a half years boosted by the phenomenal take up of mobile in emerging markets such as China, India, Africa and Latin America, which accounted for 82% of the second billion subscribers."

According to the GSM Association, China is the largest single GSM market in the world today, with more than 370 million users, followed by Russia with 145 million, India with 83 million and the USA with 78 million users.

As for 3G, more than 105 networks across 50 countries have so far launched commercial 3G services. In Europe, where GSM is reaching saturation, some 95 percent of new connections are now for 3GSM based mobile services.

[Source: GSM Association]