Telecom Industry Continues to Evolve, 8-30-2006
Generally speaking, the telecommunications sector is in much better shape to move forward than it was four years ago. To understand the state of the industry today, bear in mind that a) telecommunications firms worldwide suffered some of the heaviest blows in the technology stocks collapse of the early 2000s, b) mergers, consolidation and financial restructuring have completely changed the landscape, c) globalization is heating up competition, d) deregulation and privatization will have a continual effect on the telecom sector worldwide and e) rapid advances in telecom and wireless technology will continue unabated. According to a recent report by Plunkett Research, Ltd., some of the trends that stand out amidst these industry-wide changes include:
- TV over IP-Telecom Companies Enter the Television Market.
The future of television may look something like this: From 2006 through 2010 or so, broadcasters, along with cable and satellite TV providers, will largely enjoy business as usual. At some point over the mid-term, however, TV over IP (IPTV) will become a serious threat.
- The U.S. Remains Far Behind in Broadband Deployment and Access Speeds.
While America is thought of as a leader in many areas of consumer services, fast Internet access isn't one of them. In fact, the U.S. is woefully behind many other nations (including Belgium, Canada, Japan and South Korea), both in the ratio of households using broadband and in the speeds of broadband services that are generally available.
- VOIP Use Soars and Threatens To Revolutionize Telecom.
Local exchange telephone companies face a dismal market for local phone lines. Why? The proliferation of cellular phones is one reason, but a far greater threat to traditional phone lines is the Internet. The rapid proliferation of high-speed access to the Internet in homes and offices makes Internet-based telephony a logical next step for a wide variety of businesses and consumers.
To find out more about these exciting trends and more, check out Plunkett's Telecommunications Industry Almanac 2007, just released, or go to www.plunkettresearch.com and sign up for a subscription to Plunkett's completely up-to-date online database!
About Plunkett Research, Ltd.
Plunkett Research, Ltd. is a leading publisher of complete business research and analysis resources, designed to enable professionals in marketing, research and finance to access complete trends analysis, statistics, technology analysis and financial analysis of the world's most exciting industries. For more information, visit www.plunkettresearch.com, or call 713.932.0000.