2003/2004 Telecoms in the United States of America - The US telecommunications market is stabilising in 2003, but a full recovery is still not
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Digital TV Yearbook 2009
2003/2004 Telecoms in the United States of America
BuddeComm
BuddeComm

The US telecommunications market is stabilising in 2003, but a full recovery is still not expected until 2005 or 2006. The wireless and broadband markets are showing healthy growth, but fixed-line telecommunications is still a very low margin business. Broadcast services have shown little growth, but advanced services, such as digital TV and other interactive services continue to show steady growth. Regulatory decisions are having adverse impacts on competition across the whole sector, and the Triennial decision of 2003 looks like it will not speed up the growth of broadband Internet services as was initially hoped

BuddeComm have now released the second edition of our USA report, as part of the our annual research. This report comprehensively covers the key areas of interest including:

  • Key trends
  • Market overview
  • Regulatory environment
  • Major fixed network operators
  • Telecommunications infrastructure
  • Public data communications services
  • Internet
  • Broadband networks and services
  • Content and e-Services
  • Wireless communications
  • Broadcasting

See this documents 'Table of Contents' for more details.

 
1.TELECOMMUNICATIONS – MARKET ANALYSIS – 2003 
1.1Key developments in the US telecom market 
1.2Telecommunications market 
1.2.1Overview 
1.2.2Regulatory environment 
1.2.3Infrastructure 
1.2.4Data market 
1.2.5Internet and online markets 
1.2.6Broadband market 
1.2.7E-commerce 
1.2.8Wireless communications 
1.2.9Broadcasting market 
2.KEY STATISTICS AND MARKET OVERVIEW 
2.1Key statistics 
2.2Telecommunications market 
2.2.1Overview 
2.2.2Telecom downturn in 2001-2002 
2.2.3More positive outlook in 2003 
2.3Trends and developments 
2.3.1Change in the industry 
2.3.2Merger activity continues 
2.3.3Merger/acquisition data 
2.4Local competition 
2.4.1Overview 
2.5New networks and services 
2.5.1AT&T and cable 
2.5.2Broadband networks 
2.5.3Wi-Fi services 
3.REGULATORY OVERVIEW 
3.1The US landscape 
3.1.1Key players in US regulatory environment 
3.1.2The legal foundations of competition policy 
3.2Telecommunications Act 1996 
3.2.1Overview 
3.2.2Key pro-competitive provisions of the Telecom Act 
3.2.3Highlights of the Act 
3.2.4Competition policy in practice in the US 
3.3Significant events since the Act 
3.3.1Court challenges to the Act 
3.3.2Growth of the Internet/IP telephony 
3.3.3Merger and acquisition activity and new players 
3.3.4At last competition arrived 
3.3.5FCC Triennial Unbundled Network Decision of 2003 
3.4Current state of competition 
3.4.1Local competition 
3.4.2RBOCs offering interLATA long-distance 
3.5Status of key components of the Telecoms Act 
3.5.1Access charges 
3.5.2Universal service fund 
3.5.3Unbundling network access 
3.6Foreign competition 
3.7The FCC and satellite services 
3.8Number portability 
3.8.1Toll-free numbers 
3.8.2Local number portability 
3.8.3Wireless local number portability 
4.TELECOMMUNICATIONS – MAJOR OPERATORS 
4.1Telecom operators 
4.1.1Overview 
4.1.2Local operators 
4.1.3Long-distance 
4.1.4Callback operators/international resellers 
4.2Major players 
4.2.1AT&T Corporation 
4.2.2BellSouth Corporation 
4.2.3SBC Communications 
4.2.4Sprint 
4.2.5Qwest Communications 
4.2.6Verizon Communications 
4.2.7MCI (WorldCom) 
5.TELECOMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE 
5.1Local and national infrastructure 
5.1.1Deployment of fibre optic networks 
5.1.2Switching and transmission technologies 
5.1.3DWDM 
5.1.4Ethernet 
5.1.5Infrastructure trends 
5.2US stakes in international infrastructure 
5.2.1Submarine cable networks 
5.2.2Satellite networks 
6.FIXED NETWORK VOICE SERVICES 
6.1Local 
6.1.1Fixed network 
6.1.2Local market 
6.2Long distance and international 
6.2.1USA long-distance calling market 
6.2.2USA international calling market 
6.3Enhanced voice services 
6.3.1Payphones 
6.3.2Enhanced voice services 
6.3.3Calling cards 
6.3.4Audiotex 
6.3.5Toll-free market 
7.PUBLIC DATA AND INTERNET 
7.1The data market 
7.1.1Overview 
7.1.2Market trends 
7.1.3Leased lines 
7.1.4X.25 
7.1.5SMDS 
7.1.6ISDN 
7.1.7Frame relay 
7.1.8VANs 
7.1.9VPNs 
7.1.10ASPs 
7.2The Internet market 
7.2.1Market overview and statistics 
7.2.2ISP market 
7.2.3IP telephony 
8.BROADBAND NETWORKS AND SERVICES 
8.1Broadband market overview 
8.1.1Broadband Internet 
8.2Cable modems 
8.2.1Market drivers 
8.2.2Regulatory issues 
8.3DSL 
8.3.1Market overview 
8.3.2VoDSL 
8.4Wireless broadband 
8.4.1Market overview 
8.5Internet via satellite 
8.5.1Overview 
8.6Broadband over powerline 
8.6.1Trials underway 
8.7Cable telephony 
8.7.1Overview 
8.7.2Major cable telephony players 
9.E-SERVICES 
9.1E-commerce 
9.1.1Overview 
9.1.2E-commerce regulatory issues 
9.1.3Online shopping 
9.1.4Online retailing 
9.1.5Financial services/online trading 
9.1.6Online travel 
9.1.7Online automotive market 
9.1.8Online banking 
9.1.9Online gambling 
9.1.10B2B e-commerce market 
9.2E-advertising 
9.2.1Recovery on the way 
9.3E-content 
9.3.1Online Publishers Association Market Spending Report 
9.4E-entertainment 
9.4.1Internet TV 
9.4.2Video streaming 
9.4.3Internet radio 
9.4.4Digital music 
10.WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS 
10.1Overview of USA wireless market 
10.1.1Record growth in 2001 
10.1.2Slow growth in 2002 
10.1.3The year of wireless data – 2003 
10.1.4Mobile statistics 
10.1.5PCS versus cellular service in the USA 
10.1.6Significant market trends 
10.2Market issues in the USA mobile market 
10.2.1ARPU 
10.2.2Pricing 
10.2.3Churn 
10.3Mobile regulations in the USA 
10.3.1Spectrum for wireless phones/high-speed Internet 
10.3.2Broadband wireless spectrum licences auction 
10.3.3Lifting of the Cap 
10.4Infrastructure 
10.4.1Cellular mobile infrastructure 
10.4.2Third generation mobile 
10.4.3Wireless towers 
10.5Major cellular operators 
10.5.1Consolidation in the US mobile market 
10.5.2Major mobile operators in the USA 
10.5.3Future trends in the US mobile sector 
10.6Prepaid services 
10.6.1Market overview 
10.6.2How prepaid works 
10.6.3Features and limitations of prepaid 
10.6.4Profile of US prepaid users 
10.6.5Benefits to carriers 
10.6.6Prepaid offerings – selected US carriers 
10.7Wireless data 
10.7.1Overview 
10.7.2Basic demand drivers 
10.7.3Evolution of standards and growth of enterprise software 
10.7.4Revenue potential 
10.7.5Wireless data classifications 
10.7.6Digital mobile and PCS 
10.7.7Wireless data services 
10.7.8Conclusion 
11.WIRELESS BROADBAND 
11.1Wireless LANs (Wi-Fi) 
11.1.1Introduction 
11.1.2Wireless LAN ROI study 
11.1.3WLAN hot spots 
11.1.4Emerging Wi-Fi and WLAN technologies 
12.MULTI UTILITIES MARKETS 
12.1Utilities and telecommunications 
12.1.1Market overview 
12.2Electric utility/telecommunications retail efforts 
12.2.1Overview 
12.2.2Electric and joint meter reading 
12.3Powerline communications 
12.3.1Overview 
12.3.2FCC enquiry into broadband over powerline 
12.3.3Worldwide powerline telephony subscriber forecasts 
12.4Utilities and the Internet 
12.4.1Internet strategies 
13.BROADCASTING 
13.1Satellite TV 
13.1.1Market overview 
13.1.2Advantages of DBS versus analogue cable 
13.1.3Major players 
13.1.4Satellite broadband 
13.1.5MMDS 
13.2Terrestrial, cable and digital TV 
13.2.1Broadcasting market 
13.2.2Digital TV 
13.2.3Datacasting 
13.2.4Cable TV 
13.3Interactive TV 
13.3.1Market analysis and overview 
13.3.2Interactive TV categories in the USA 
13.3.3Enhanced television 
13.3.4TV-based Web access 
13.3.5Programming-on-demand 
13.4Interactive advertising 
13.4.1Advertising revenues 
13.4.2Interactive TV consumer services and advertising 
14.GLOSSARY OF ABBREVIATIONS 
Exhibit 1 – Keystones in telecommunications – 1969 - 2003 
Exhibit 2 – Planned telecom offerings by major competitor 
Exhibit 3 – Significant mergers and acquisitions – 1997 - 2003 
Exhibit 4 – Potential acquisition targets 
Exhibit 5 – Significant telecom deregulation milestones – 1969 - 2003 
Exhibit 6 - Fourteen point checklist RBOCs must meet to enter InterLATA LD market 
Exhibit 7 - Unbundled network elements - September 1999 
Exhibit 8 – CLEC merger and acquisition activity – 2000 and 2001 
Exhibit 9 – CLEC bankruptcies – 2001 - 2003 
Exhibit 10 – Selected fibre optic submarine cable systems 
Exhibit 11 – CLEC merger and acquisition activity – 2000 - 2001 
Exhibit 12 – Key milestones in Internet development – 1962 - 2003 
Exhibit 13 – Abilene Project 
Exhibit 14 – Components of network convergence 
Exhibit 15 – Drivers of high-speed Internet 
Exhibit 16 – Overview of physical distribution networks for high-speed services 
Exhibit 17 – US cellular protocols and primary operators 
Exhibit 18 –North American GSM Association operator members 
Exhibit 19 – Alltel – key statistics 
Exhibit 20 – Cingular Wireless – key statistics 
Exhibit 21 – Verizon – key statistics 
Exhibit 22 – AT&T Wireless – key statistics 
Exhibit 23 – Sprint PCS – key statistics 
Exhibit 24 – T-Mobile – key statistics 
Exhibit 25 – Nextel – key statistics 
Exhibit 26 – US Cellular – key statistics 
Exhibit 27 – Major mobile operator’s SMS plans – 2002 
Exhibit 28 – 802.11 – Wireless LAN 
Exhibit 29 – 802.11a and b 
Exhibit 30 – Wi-Fi certification 
Exhibit 31 – Wi-Fi security technologies 
Exhibit 32 – Listed energy information/energy management services 
Exhibit 33 – US PLC trials 
Exhibit 34 – DirecTV overview 
Exhibit 35 – DirecWay and StarBand service comparisons 
Exhibit 36 - Sprint/MCI WorldCom MMDS purchases – 1999 
Exhibit 37 – FCC requirements for transition to digital transmission 
Exhibit 38 – Digital HDTV 
Exhibit 39 – High-speed teletext 
Exhibit 40 – Interactive TV categories 
Exhibit 41 – Cost and functionality of competing DVR units in the USA 


Table 1 – Broadband subscribers by technology – 1999 - 2002 
Table 2 – Prepaid subscriber growth – 1998 - 2002 
Table 3 – Top five US cable providers – September 2002 
Table 4 – Country statistics – 2002 
Table 5 – Telephone network statistics – 2002 
Table 6 – Internet provider statistics – 2002 
Table 7 – Internet user and PC statistics – 2002 
Table 8 – Broadband statistics – 2002 
Table 9 – Mobile statistics – 2002 
Table 10 – Broadcasting statistics – 2003 
Table 11 – National telecommunications authorities 
Table 12 – Number of reporting CLECs and ILECs – 1999 - 2002 
Table 13 – Top 10 US cable providers – March 2003 
Table 14 – Telecommunications revenue - services provided to end-users – 2001 
Table 15 – Local service revenues by competitor type – 1997 - 2001 
Table 16 – Fixed telephone lines in use – 1996 - 2002 
Table 17 – Access lines by technology type – 2002 
Table 18 – Service providers by business type – 1997 - 2001 
Table 19 – ILEC end-user switched access lines by customer type – 1999 - 2002 
Table 20 – CLEC access line growth – 1996 - 2002 
Table 21 – Total CLEC revenue estimates – 2001 - 2005 
Table 22 – Total CLEC capital expenditures – 1997 - 2002 
Table 23 – Total CLEC market capitalisations – 1996 - 2001 
Table 24 – Share of total toll service (long-distance) revenues – 1998 - 2001 
Table 25 – AT&T revenue by service – 2000 - 2001 
Table 26 – BellSouth revenue by service – 2000 - 2001 
Table 27 – SBC revenue by service – 2000 - 2001 
Table 28 – Sprint revenue by service – 2000 - 2001 
Table 29 – Qwest revenue by service – 2000 - 2001 
Table 30 – Verizon revenue by service – 2000 - 2001 
Table 31 – WorldCom revenue by service - 2000 - 2001 
Table 32 – Fibre spending by carriers in the US – 2001 - 2005 
Table 33 – High-speed lines (over 200Kb/s in at least one direction) – 2000 - 2002 
Table 34 – Yearly OC-3 lease prices on major US routes – 2000 - 2002 
Table 35 – Growth of the top US Internet routes – 1999, 2002 
Table 36 – US Cable industry construction/upgrade expenditure – 1996 - 2003 
Table 37 – Top 10 cable TV operators in the US – 2002 
Table 38 – Status of cable networks – 1998 - 2003 
Table 39 – Homes passed with fibre – 2002 - 2004 
Table 40 – Top US stakeholders in submarine cable systems – 1997, 1999 
Table 41 – Fibre optic submarine cable investments by region – 1997, 1998/2003 
Table 42 – Transoceanic bandwidth capacity (Gb/s) – 2000 - 2004 
Table 43 – Key local market indicators – 2000 - 2002 
Table 44 – US telecom industry revenue by service – 1998 - 2001 
Table 45 – Local, wireless and toll revenue growth – 1994 - 2001 
Table 46 – Fixed telephone lines in service and teledensity – 1996 - 2002 
Table 47 – Household telephone subscribers – 1995 - 2002 
Table 48 – ILEC Access line growth – 1997 - 2002 
Table 49 – CLEC Access line growth – 1997 - 2002 
Table 50 – Average local rates business/residential – 1995 - 2002 
Table 51 – Local service revenues by competitor type – 1997 - 2002 
Table 52 – Total end-user lines reported – 1999 - 2002 
Table 53 – Access lines by technology type – 2002 
Table 54 – Percentage of Zip Codes with CLECs – 2000 - 2002 
Table 55 – Long-distance revenues – 1996 - 2001 
Table 56 – Interstate long-distance revenues – 1996 - 2001 
Table 57 – Interstate switched access minutes – 1992 - 2002 
Table 58 – Dial equipment minutes – 1992 - 2001 
Table 59 – Total toll service revenue and market share by competitors – 1996 - 2002 
Table 60 – Toll services CPI and PPI – 1996 - 2002 
Table 61 – Household toll calls – 2000 - 2002 
Table 62 – Average revenue per minute for interstate toll service calls – 1992 - 2001 
Table 63 – Interstate per minute access charges in cents per minute – 1992 - 2002 
Table 64 – Total US retained international revenue (selected years) – 1982 - 2001 
Table 65 – US billed international revenue (major carriers) – 2001 
Table 66 – US traffic by destination – 2001 
Table 67 – International traffic and revenue billed in the USA, selected regions – 2001 
Table 68 – US international long-distance calling to Canada and Mexico – 1995 - 2001 
Table 69 – Total payphone services market revenue – 1997 - 2001 
Table 70 – Total payphones in service – 1997 - 2003 
Table 71 – Total payphone revenue by operator type – 2001 
Table 72 – Total payphone provider revenue – 1997-2002 
Table 73 – Total payphone coin-only revenue by operator type – 2001 
Table 74 – Number of payphones owned by LECs and independent operators – 2003 
Table 75 – Unified communications market subscription revenue – 2001 - 2006 
Table 76 – US calling card market revenues – 1998-2005 
Table 77 – Toll-free numbers – 1993-2003 
Table 78 – Leased line service revenues – 2000, 2003 
Table 79 – ISDN basic and primary rate market revenues – 2002, 2006 
Table 80 – Frame relay service ports and revenues – 2001 - 2007 
Table 81 – ATM service ports and revenues – 2001 - 2007 
Table 82 – US carrier IP VPN services revenue – 2000, 2003 
Table 83 – ASP market revenue – 2001 - 2006 
Table 84 – Internet users – 1996 - 2002 
Table 85 – Internet user forecasts – 2000 - 2006 
Table 86 – Average cost of 30 hours Internet usage per month – 2001 
Table 87 – Internet activities – 2002 
Table 88 – Internet host computers – 1999 - 2001 
Table 89 – Internet subscribers by access technology – 2001 - 2002 
Table 90 – ITU Mobile/Internet Index 
Table 91 – Average Web use – 2003 
Table 92 – Internet usage by race/ethnicity – 2002 
Table 93 – Internet usage by household income – 2002 
Table 94 – Internet usage by education level – 2002 
Table 95 – Internet online activity – 2001 
Table 96 – Household usage patterns by age – 2002 
Table 97 – E-mail usage – 1996 - 2006 
Table 98 – Ad-supported e-mail services subscribers – 1997 - 2000 
Table 99 – Number of ISPs – 1997 - 2002 
Table 100 – Top ISP subscribers and market share – 2002 
Table 101 – Subscriber values (selected ISPs) – 2003 
Table 102 – AOL and MSN customer growth – 2001 - 2002 
Table 103 – Cost of voice packet call versus voice circuit call – 1998, 2003 
Table 104 – Retail VoIP market minutes of use and revenue – 2001 - 2007 
Table 105 – Cable telephony VoIP subscribers – 2002 - 2007 
Table 106 – Growth of IP-VPN market – 2001 - 2005 
Table 107 – US carrier IP VPN services revenue – 2002 
Table 108 – Broadband subscribers by technology – 1999 - 2002 
Table 109 – High-speed lines by type of provider – 2002 
Table 110 – Percentage of zip codes with high-speed lines in service – 1999 - 2002 
Table 111 – Broadband subscriber forecasts – The Yankee Group – 2002 - 2007 
Table 112 – Broadband subscriber forecast – Strategy Analytics – 2002 - 2008 
Table 113 – Broadband pricing (selected operators) – 2003 
Table 114 – What broadband users and non-users want – 2002 
Table 115 – Cable modem subscribers – 1998 - 2002 
Table 116 – Cable modem subscribers by operator – March, September and December 2002 
Table 117 – Broadband cable subscriber forecasts by operator – 2001 - 2007 
Table 118 – DSL subscribers by major carrier – 1999 - 2002 
Table 119 – Projected subscribers of fixed wireless services – 2002 - 2007 
Table 120 – Satellite broadband subscribers – 2002 
Table 121 – US cable telephony subscribers – 2000 - 2002 
Table 122 – Projected cable telephony subscribers – 1998 - 2005 
Table 123 – Comcast Corporation cable telephony subscribers – 2001 - 2002 
Table 124 – Percentage of online buyers per age group – 2001 - 2002 
Table 125 – Online holiday shoppers – 2000 - 2002 
Table 126 – Online retail by selected category and percentage of total revenue – 2000 - 2001 
Table 127 – B2C revenue forecasts – 2000 - 2006 
Table 128 – Internet buyers – 2000 - 2006 
Table 129 – Top 10 travel Websites – 2002 
Table 130 – Online travel and e-commerce sales – 2001 
Table 131 – Account aggregation services US customers – 1999 - 2004 
Table 132 – Online gambling forecasts – 2000 - 2006 
Table 133 – Value of B2B purchases – 2000 - 2006 
Table 134 – B2B e-commerce revenue – 1998 - 2003 
Table 135 – Online advertising revenue – 1999 - 2007 
Table 136 – Digital music subscription sales – 2001 - 2006 
Table 137 – Digital music usage by age – 2002 
Table 138 – Mobile subscriber growth in the USA– 1994 - 2003 
Table 139 – Mobile users in the USA – 2002 - 2007 
Table 140 – Mobile market growth – revenue, roamer revenue and employees – 1994 - 2002 
Table 141 – US mobile subscribers by network – 2000 – March 2003 
Table 142 – Market share of selected operators – 2002 – 2003 
Table 143 – Revenue, net debt and ARPU of selected operators – 2002 - 2003 
Table 144 – Cell sites – 1994 - 2002 
Table 145 – Average local monthly bill – 1995 - 2002 
Table 146 – Digital subscribers by technology – 1999 - 2001 
Table 147 – Number of cell sites in the US – 1994 - 2002 
Table 148 – Capital investment in public wireless networks – 1994 - 2002 
Table 149 – Leading US independent tower owners – 2002 
Table 150 – Acquisitions/mergers – 1998 - 2002 
Table 151 – Choice of carriers – US population – 2002 
Table 152 – Prepaid subscribers in the US – 2000 - 2005 
Table 153 – Selected operators pre-paid subscribers – 2002 
Table 154 – Key performance metrics to judge Virgin Mobile’s success in the US 
Table 155 – Mobile Internet users – 2000, 2003, 2005 
Table 156 – Wireless mobile data network subscribers (millions) – 2000 - 2005 
Table 157 – Network speed – 1999, 2001, 2003 
Table 158 – Annual wireless location service users and revenues – 2001 - 2005 
Table 159 – Wireless telemetry service revenue – 1999 - 2004 
Table 160 – Wireless LAN end-user network equipment revenue – 1999 - 2003 
Table 161 – SMS user estimates – 2002 - 2007 
Table 162 –Wireless IM user estimates – 2002 - 2007 
Table 163 – MMS user estimates – 2002 - 2007 
Table 164 – US versus worldwide Internet and wireless Internet subscribers – 2000, 2002, 2005 
Table 165 – Wireless gaming user estimates (thousands) – 2002 - 2007 
Table 166 – Wireless hot spot networks by location – 2001, 2006 
Table 167 – Powerline telephony subscribers worldwide (Gartner) – 2003, 2006 
Table 168 – Powerline telephony subscribers worldwide (Informa) - 2002 - 2006 
Table 169 – Satellite TV subscribers – 1998 - 2003 
Table 170 – DBS subscriber estimates – 1999 - 2005 
Table 171 – DTH market forecasts – 1998 - 2005 
Table 172 – US broadcasting market overview – 2003 
Table 173 – Digital TV revenue forecasts – 1999 - 2006 
Table 174 – DTV stations by network – August 2002 
Table 175 – US HDTV forecasts – 2008 
Table 176 – Cable revenue from subscriber services – 1996 - 2002 
Table 177 – Top 20 US cable networks and subscribers – January 2003 
Table 178 – Top 10 US cable providers – March 2003 
Table 179 – Digital cable subscribers – 1998 - 2003 
Table 180 – Projected prime-time viewing patterns – 1999 - 2003 
Table 181 – Various research companies’ forecasts for iTV households – 2000 - 2005 
Table 182 – iTV services penetration of US households – 2001 - 2004 
Table 183 – US interactive TV services – vital statistics 
Table 184 – USA digital cable subscribers with VOD access – 2002 - 2008 
Table 185 – USA – what VOD content viewers would watch – 2002 
Table 186 – USA VOD – Pay-per-use versus monthly subscriptions – 2002 
Table 187 – USA VOD revenue forecasts – 2001 - 2006 
Table 188 – USA DVR market – 2001, 2003 
Table 189 – USA DVR adoption by form factor (millions) – 2001 - 2006 
Table 190 – USA PVR-enabled set-top box shipments (millions) – 2002 - 2008
  • The US telecommunications market is stabilising in 2003, but a full recovery is still not expected until 2005 or 2006. The wireless and broadband markets are showing healthy growth, but fixed-line telecommunications is still a very low margin business. Broadcast services have shown little growth, but advanced services, such as digital TV and other interactive services continue to show steady growth. Regulatory decisions are having adverse impacts on competition across the whole sector, and the Triennial decision of 2003 looks like it will not speed up the growth of broadband Internet services as was initially hoped.
  • The US telecommunications market has shown some resilience during 2002 and 2003 – with many operators stabilising previously declining revenues, and others attempting to reduce huge debt loads;
  • The Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLECs) have finally made some inroads into the Regional Bell Operating Company (RBOCs) market shares, although they still trail by a large margin;
  • Many of the companies that entered bankruptcy protection are still there – and some emerged from bankruptcy, while others closed their doors;
  • The telecommunications infrastructure market has bounced back, and it is unlikely to rebound until 2004 or 2005 as the market adjusts to its new conditions;
  • The market for enhanced voice services has slowed down over the past few years. The increasing penetration of mobile phones has helped to curb the usage of payphones, however the market for calling cards and toll-free numbers continues to grow;
  • The Internet and online markets are still witnessing strong growth as demand for services continues. The Internet user population now nearly mirrors the general population in terms of user demographics. Broadband access services are beginning to become mainstream, allowing users to access richer content. E-commerce services are also still witnessing growth as Internet buying becomes a part of everyday life in many American households;
  • The wireless communications sector experienced major consolidation between 1999 and 2001 although predictions of further consolidation in 2002/2003 did not materialise;
  • Cellular mobile subscriptions reached 142.5 million in March 2003 bringing the nationwide penetration rate to over 50.8%. The increased functionality of digital wireless services is expected to fuel further growth of the wireless industry, with personal penetration forecast to grow to 60% by end-2003;
  • Consumers continue to adopt new services and technologies in the television services industry and the US it is now leading the world in the convergence between television, the Internet and telecommunications as new interactive and digital services are beginning to roll out;
  • The satellite TV market is currently facing a shake-up, as News Corp is attempting to acquire DirecTV from Hughes. The competitive effects of this merger, should it be approved by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), are not presently known. Satellite services have witnessed steady growth over the past five years although future revenue growth opportunities are believe to be in the provision of broadband Internet services;
  • Wi-Fi (wireless LAN) services are emerging as the ‘next big thing’ in telecommunications, although early indications are that Wi-Fi is little more than a desperate attempt from ICT companies to try and rekindle some of the spirit of the telecommunications boom.
 
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Digital TV Yearbook 2009
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