Mobile penetration is expected to rise in the forecast period, albeit at a slower pace than in the past, owing to substantial market saturation. Penetration is forecast to rise from an estimated 111 per 100 people in 2013 to 128 per 100 people by 2019.
The high penetration will reflect the fact that many customers own multiple subscriptions (for example, for business and private use), as well as the deployment of data subscriptions for machine-to-machine communication. GSMA Intelligence, the research arm of an industry association, GSMA, estimates that each US subscriber has on average 1.5 SIM cards, suggesting a real subscriber penetration rate of around 72% in 2013, rising to around 83% by 2019.
Demand for data and Internet services will be the major driver of mobile services growth. Telecoms firms are already struggling to meet rapidly rising demand for data services. Capital-intensive investments and scarce wireless spectrum are the two limiting factors. In 2014 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the telecoms regulator, held its first major auction of wireless airwaves in six years. The auction amassed more than US$4obn in spectrum fees, more than double the reserve price set by the government.

Telecommunications report 5

Mobile 5

Fixed 6

Internet 8

Industry publishing schedule 11

中国科学技术信息研究所