Emerging Markets Remain Dynamic Amid Projected 1% Growth Rate for Global Telecom Market in 2009, Pyramid Finds

Due to a grim economic outlook and substantial currency fluctuations, the telecom services market will generate US$1.4 trillion in 2009, posting only 1% year-on-year growth compared with the 10-11% annual growth rates that have characterized previous years, according to a new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com), the telecom research arm of Light Reading Communications Group (www.lightreading.com).

The global telecom market is expected to recover in 2010 however, driven by a combination of factors such as the increased availability of multiplay bundles and versatile, competitively priced devices, with emerging markets providing much-needed dynamism to the industry.

This new report, entitled "Global Telecom Services Revenue Forecast 2008-2013: Emerging Market Opportunities," delivers a complete five-year forecast for global telecom revenue by service, revealing that voice services will be hardest hit in 2009 while non-voice mobile applications and broadband Internet access are expected to remain robust. A contraction in the overall voice market of 3% in 2009 is projected, compared with a 6% expansion in 2008, while the data market, both fixed and mobile, will reach $411 billion in 2009, up 12% from 2008 levels.

"Mobile data will be the primary engine of growth, seeing revenue increase by 15% to $223 billion," notes Leslie Arathoon, Vice President of Research at Pyramid Research and co-author of the report. "The number of broadband accounts, including 3G mobile accounts, will more than double, going from the current 965 million to more than 2 billion by 2013. This will create an important target market for digital content, applications, and advertising dollars."

This report also provides telecom service revenue growth by region, indicating that emerging markets will remain dynamic throughout the forecast period. "Global mobile penetration now lies at 60%, a figure we forecast will climb to 84% by 2013, led by growth in India and China. These two markets will together add 829 million mobile subscriptions from 2009 to 2013, 44% of the world's total net additions during that period," adds Arathoon. "We also project that regional telecom service revenue in Central and Eastern Europe, Asia/Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East will see about 7% year-on-year growth, while the mature markets of North America and Western Europe are negatively affected by the deteriorated economic environment."

"Global Telecom Services Revenue Forecast 2008-2013: Emerging Market Opportunities" is part of Pyramid Research's Global Market Perspective report series. Event-driven and packed with pointed analysis, Perspectives offer objective insight into trends revealed in Pyramid Research's Forecast products, covering nearly 100 markets around the globe.

To purchase this report, click here: http://www.pyr.com/store/scon_glbl_081231.htm?sc=PR010709GBFC

For more information on Pyramid Research's recently-released fourth-quarter Forecasts, please contact Jennifer Baker at jbaker@pyr.com.

About Pyramid Research

Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com) offers practical solutions to the complex demands our clients face in the telecommunications, media, and technology industries. Our analysis is uniquely positioned at the intersection of emerging markets, emerging technologies, and emerging business models, powered by the bottom-up methodology of our market forecasts for more than 100 countries - a distinction that has remained unmatched for over 20 years. As the telecom research arm of the Light Reading Communications Network, Pyramid Research works with Heavy Reading, providing the communications industry's most comprehensive market data, trusted research, and insightful technology analysis.

About Light Reading

Founded in 2000, Light Reading (www.lightreading.com) is the leading online media, research, and focused event company serving the $3 trillion worldwide communications market. Lightreading.com is the ultimate source for technology and financial analysis of the communications industry, leading the media sector in terms of traffic, content, and reputation. Light Reading's research arms, Heavy Reading and Pyramid Research, provide the most comprehensive communications research, market data, and technology analysis in close to 100 markets around the world. Light Reading produces nearly 20 targeted communications events including TelcoTV, Ethernet Expo New York and Ethernet Expo London, The Tower Summit @ CTIA, and Optical Expo, as well as focused one-day events tailored for cable, mobile, and wireline executives. Light Reading was acquired by United Business Media in August 2005 and operates as a unit of TechWeb.

About TechWeb

TechWeb (http://techweb.com/aboutus), the global leader in business technology media, is an innovative business focused on serving the needs of technology decision-makers and marketers worldwide. TechWeb produces the most respected and consumed media brands in the business technology market. Today, more than 13.3 million* business technology professionals actively engage in our communities created around our global face-to-face events, Interop, Web 2.0, Black Hat, and VoiceCon; online resources such as the TechWeb Network, Light Reading, Intelligent Enterprise, InformationWeek.com, bMighty.com, and The Financial Technology Network; and the market leading, award-winning InformationWeek, TechNet Magazine, MSDN Magazine, and Wall Street & Technology magazines. TechWeb also provides end-to-end services including next-generation performance marketing, integrated media, research, and analyst services. TechWeb is a division of United Business Media, a global provider of news distribution and specialist information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion.

*13.3 million business decision-makers: based on number of monthly connections

About United Business Media Limited (www.unitedbusinessmedia.com)

United Business Media Limited (UBM) is a global media and marketing services company that informs markets and brings the world's buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print, and with the information they need to do business successfully. UBM serves professional and commercial communities, from IT professionals to doctors, from journalists to jewelry dealers, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. UBM employs more than 6,500 people in more than 30 countries. UBM's businesses operating in the US include CMPMedica, Commonwealth Business Media, Everything Channel, PR Newswire, RISI, TechInsights, TechWeb and Think Services. UBM is listed on the London Stock Exchange (UBM.L) and has a market capitalization of $2.5 billion.

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SOURCE: Pyramid Research

CONTACT: Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, jbaker@pyr.com

Web Site: http://www.pyr.com/