Telecom Statistics You Need To Know

The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of telecommunication services. From 4.39 billion internet users in 2019, it has increased to 5.16 billion users, with a 2.9% year-on-year change.

These figures show that 64.4% of the global population uses telecommunication services. It allowed billions of people worldwide to connect seamlessly. At the same time, it provided  businesses with flexible work arrangements.

There’s more to telecom statistics than the growing number of users worldwide. Discover more interesting facts and data on how it changed after COVID-19 and its global penetration rates by reading this paragraph. 

How Big Is The Telecom Industry? 

The global telecom industry increased from $2,868.37 billion in 2022 to $3,041.8 billion in 2023, at a CAGR of 6.0%. In comparison, the mobile data services segment grew from $796.04 billion in 2022 to $894.84 billion in 2023 at a CAGR of 12.4%. 

The industry's fast-paced growth has emerged new trends and behaviors among companies and consumers. These statistics will provide in-depth insights into the industry’s growth: 

Telecom Market Size Statistics

In 2027, the telecom market size is expected to reach $3,818.42 billion, with a 5.8% CAGR. However, the Russian-Ukraine war threatens the global economic recovery, so this number can change as the year progresses. 

Take a closer look at the telecom industry’s market size statistics and predictions:

1. More than 59% of all sales came from the residential market.

(Grand View Research)

This sector accounted for the largest revenue share compared to other end-user-type segments. More than 59% of the $1.8 trillion total market size came from the residential segment. Aside from the residential segment, there is also an increasing demand for telecommunication services for the business segment.

2. There is a 19.3% growth rate for the Global Micro Mobile Data Center Market.

(Market Watch)

In 2021, Global Micro Mobile Data Center had a $4.18 billion value. Based on the prediction, the value will grow steadily at 19.3% for 2022-2029. The COVID-19 pandemic heightened the demand for more data centers, and will continue to soar as the industry grows.  

3. Over 37% of the global market share is from the mobile data services segment. 

(Grand View Research) 

The increase in smartphone utilization among consumers also boosts the mobile data services market share. There is a prompt demand for high-speed telecommunication services for corporate and residential segments. This demand is also forecasted to reinforce the growth of the mobile data services segment.

4. Cloud Computing Market is worth $371.4 billion.

(Cloudwards)

The industry was worth $371.4 billion in 2020 due to the sharp increase in: 

• Cloud adoption
• Infrastructure
• Development

Based on projections, it will reach $832.1 billion by 2025, with a compound annual growth rate of 17.5%. 

Telecom Usage Statistics

Aside from the different segments’ market size in the telecom industry, the usage of consumers also plays a vital role in its development. 92.3% of internet users access the internet using their mobile devices, and this explains the rising number of mobile phones.

The following statistics will illustrate how consumers worldwide adapted to the innovations of the telecom industry:

5. The United States ranks 3rd with the most smartphone users. 

(Statista)

The US has 274 million smartphone users, making it third in rank next to China and India. This increase in smartphone users caused a rise in mobile cellular subscriptions, which fueled the industry's growth. 

6. 61% usage of 5G network for US customers.

(RCR Wireless)

More than half of US customers are using the 5G network— a massive increase from its previous rate of 43% last 2021. Research shows that each age group is acquiring 5G networks, which indicates good penetration of the 5G network in the market. On a global scale, 5G-enabled smartphones will likely hit 51% of its shipment by 2023.

7. 52.08% of web traffic comes from mobile devices.

(Oberlo)

Mobile vs. desktop internet utilization has been happening in the United States for years. As of February 2023, 52.08% of the total web visits are from mobile devices, and 47.92% are from desktops. This indicates a substantial surge in mobile web traffic percentage. The influx can be explained by the increase in online channels, making transactions less hassle.

8. Google Drive is one of the most used cloud storage devices at 94.44%.

(Cloudwards)

Aside from many available cloud storage services, Google Drive is the most used cloud with 94.44%, followed by:

• Dropbox at 66.2%
• OneDrive at 39.35%
• Apple’s iCloud at 38.89%

Among these storages, Dropbox is tagged as best for collaboration.

9. 5G wireless is the most advanced mobile broadband technology.

(Statista)

Fifth-generation (5G) wireless is the most developed and versatile broadband. This innovation was due to the requests for a more extensive data transfer capacity, like data transfer from the 7 billion Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the metaverse. This newest generation of mobile broadband technology will overpower 4G in the coming years.

10. 5.44 billion people will use mobile phones early in 2023.

(Data Reportal)

In 2022, there were 168 million new users, resulting in 5.44 billion people using mobile phones early in 2023. This is equivalent to 68% of the global population, which indicates an increase in smartphone penetration. Smartphones are a staple digital device, with over half the global population being mobile phone users.  

Telecom Services Statistics

The telecom services sector is the second largest of the three sub-sectors in the telecom industry. In 2022, global telecom services’ value was at $1,805.61 billion, with a CAGR of 6.2%. 

After learning about consumers' usage, let's dive into the different telecom services and how it contributed to the industry's massive growth.

11. US houses the largest telecommunication services provider, AT&T.

(Statista)

AT&T Inc has generated a revenue of over $168 billion and leads the wireless segment with its high ranking in ARPU. With the increased demand for fast data connectivity, the company also provides one of the largest physical coverage of 5G networks.

12. 52% of all US mobile users use Apple’s Safari as a mobile internet browser.

(Oberlo)

Over half of the US mobile users use Apple’s Safari as their internet browser, proving iPhones' popularity in the United States. The iPhone has roughly 124.7 million users, making Google second on the list with 41.67%. 

13. Amazon Web Services generate 31% of the cloud computing market. 

(Cloudwards)

Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the largest cloud computing company globally. Based on projections, it will reach $729.76 million in revenue by 2022. 

The following are the top 3 companies in the cloud computing market:

• Amazon Web Services at 31%
• Microsoft Azure at 20%
• Google Cloud at 7%

The CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffet, believed that Amazon continues to lead in the cloud computing industry as it had a seven-year headstart compared to competitors. In one of his interviews, he said,

International Telecom Industry Statistics

The Telecom industry created a vast and significant advancement. There is a forecast of a sharp rise in global telecommunication in 2023, with a market spend of $1.5 trillion. This means that the industry’s innovation will continue in the coming years. 

The following statistics will exhibit the global regions’ contribution to the telecom industry:

14. Asia-Pacific generated over 33% of the telecom market share.

(Grand View Search)

The Asia-Pacific region generated over 33% of the total telecom market share and is forecasted to increase at a CAGR of 7.0% from 2023-2030.

E-commerce, smartphone trends like 75% of people purchasing items using their mobile phones), and development in 5G network infrastructures predominantly fueled Asia-Pacific. By 2030, the region will have more than half the traction of new mobile subscribers. This makes the Asia-Pacific region a significant contributor to the industry's growth.

15. China has the most smartphone users worldwide, at around 950 million users.

(Statista)

China has more than 950 million smartphone users, making it the country with the most smartphone users. In 2020, 99.93% of China internet users used mobile phones to go online. 

India is next in rank as the country with the most smartphone users, with 492.78 million users. China and India will lead the smartphone user ranking, as both countries have the most population count worldwide. 

16. Japanese telecommunications market tags as the third-largest market globally.

(Business Wire)

The Japanese telecommunications market globally ranked the third-largest, with $138 billion in revenue. Despite the low population growth, it has three large fixed and mobile network operators. These network operators spend extensively on towers and fiber infrastructure to provide their users with efficient telecom services. 

17. China Mobile has roughly $49 billion in value.

(Statista)

China Mobile is a Chinese telecommunications services operator. It became the leading telecom operator in the Asia Pacific region in 2020, with over $49 billion in brand value. 

Globally, it ranked as the third highest revenue, following the US-based giants AT&T and Verizon. This value reflects China Mobile’s notable credential as the largest global mobile service provider with its number of subscriptions. 

18. Deutsche Telekom is Europe’s most valuable brand, valued at $62.9 billion.

(Telekom)

This amount was an increase of 5% compared to its previous performance and an increase of 58% from its 2020 performance. The company is also one of the leading German companies, along with Mercedes-Benz and the Allianz Group. 

The company is also behind Verizon, AT&T, and Orange. This illustrates how Deutsche Telekom is gaining momentum as part of the elite telecommunication service providers. 

19. Norway has the fastest mobile internet with a connection speed of 126.94 Mbps.

(Statista)

Norway, along with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, have some of the fastest average mobile internet connections worldwide. As of September 2022, each country has an average speed above 120 Mbps.

As the fastest, Norway has an average connection speed of 126.94 Mbps, and UAE is a close runner-up with an average mobile connection speed of 126.85 Mbps. These figures explain Norwegians' high satisfaction rate regarding internet speed. 

Wrapping Up

These statistics illustrate how vast and varied the telecommunication industry is. There are a lot of segments, services, and industry growth to learn about.

The future of telecommunication services lies in the different markets and their users. If users change their consumption behavior on data and voice services, the industry will bend and follow that trajectory. 

Users must know about their impact on the industry’s transformation and innovation.