The telecommunications market in Canada, Europe, Middle East/Africa, Latin America and Asia Pacific rose 7.5 percent in 2008, the slowest increase since 2003 and the first single-digit advance in five years. Double-digit gains in broadband and wireless were the primary drivers, accounting for 44 percent of the increase, although they comprised only 28 percent of 2008 revenue.

Source: 2009 ICT Market Review & Forecast

As in the United States, the economic downturn is seriously affecting the telecommunications market across the globe. Overall, in the five markets covered by the Review and Forecast, the telecommunications market grew by only 7.5 percent in 2008, the slowest overall increase since 2003.

While some fear this slow-down presages a repeat of the 2002 dot-com bust, when telecommunications growth slowed to single-digit figures and the number of telephone subscribers in one country, Argentina, actually fell, the authors of this year’s report see no such collapse. In fact, some parts of the world hold significant potential for growth.

Broadband is having a difficult time penetrating Middle East/Africa, but wireless devices are popular, owing to their relatively inexpensive costs. The problem in expanding broadband throughout this region has less to do with the economic downturn than the lack of infrastructure to make it happen.

Want to know more? Preview this section of the report.

• TIA 2009 ICT Market Review & Forecast:
  Broadband in the Middle East/Africa preview (95kb, pdf)

• Section I: International Telecommunications Review
  • Internet Access
  • Landlines
  • Wireless Subscribers
  • BRIC
  • Global Policy Issues
  • Investment Incentives
• Section II: Trade in Telecommunications Equipment
  • Exports
  • Imports
  • Information Technology Agreement
• Section III: Canadian Market
  • Internet Access
  • Internet Protocal Television
  • Transport Services Market
  • Equipment
  • Wireless Handsets
  • Total Telecommunications Revenue
• Section IV: The European Market
  • Broadband
  • Internet Protocol Television
  • Dial-Up
  • Wireless Market
  • Landline Market
  • Equipment
  • Services in Support of Equipment
  • Total Telecommunications Revenue in Europe
• Section V: Middle East/Africa Market
  • Landline Market
  • Wireless Market
  • Broadband
  • Dial-Up
  • Equipment
  • Total Telecommunications Revenue in Middle East/Africa
• Section VI: Latin American Market
  • Dial-Up
  • Landline Market
  • Wireless Market
  • Equipment
  • Services in Support of Equipment
  • Total Telecommunications Revenue in Latin America
• Section VII: Asia Pacific Market
  • Spectrum Auctions in India
  • Spectrum Auctions in China
  • Broadband
  • Internet Protocol Television
  • Dial-Up
  • Wireless Market
  • Landline Market
  • Equipment
  • Services in Support of Equipment
  • Total Telecommunications Revenue in Asia Pacific

Overall international revenue will dip slightly in 2009-2010, but is set to rebound strongly in 2011 and beyond.