Asian Mobile Communications
Statistican Tables
Asian Communications
Markets Forecasts
Asian Telecommunications Reports by Country
Afghanistan - Telecommunications Market Overview
Afghanistan is finally seizing the chance to start a recovery process, after
many years of war. Telecommunications will certainly play a big role in
rebuilding the country’s shattered economy and society. This report
looks at the current telecoms infrastructure and the steps taken to
provide a properly functioning basic network with national coverage.
Armenia - Telecommunications Market Overview and Statistics
Armenia’s telecommunications sector is small but growing. With over
600,000 fixed-line subscribers for a population of nearly 4 million people,
the level of investment in infrastructure and new services has begun to increase.
Azerbaijan - Telecoms Market Overview, Statistics and
Forecasts
The Azerbaijan economy has been markedly stronger in recent years and the country
is making progress in developing its telecoms sector. A boom in oil and gas exports
has boosted the local economy.
Bangladesh - Key Telecommunications Statistics
This report looks at Bangladesh’s surprisingly energetic telecoms sector, in particular,
the effort that has been going into building telecom infrastructure and the progress
that has been made on regulatory reforms.
Bhutan - Telecoms Market Overview and Statistics
The mobile market in Bhutan was opened up to competition in 2008 and B-Mobile launched
a 3G network. This report looks at Bhutan’s overall telecom market and includes a
selection of pertinent market statistics.
Brunei - Telecom Market, Mobile and Broadband Overview
Telecommunications infrastructure and services throughout Brunei are of a generally
high standard and the country ranks well in Asia in terms of both telecom service
penetration and infrastructure facilities. Brunei’s mobile penetration, which stood
at a reasonably healthy 32% by year-end 2001, has continued to grow strongly and coming
into 2009 it reached 100%.
Cambodia - Telecom Market Overview, Stats and Forecasts
Cambodia has a flourishing mobile market and, in relative terms, a progressively
diminishing fixed-line market. This report examines the obstacles that Cambodia has
had to overcome in order to rebuild its telecommunications infrastructure following
years of instability resulting from civil war and the consequent chaos.
China - Key Statistics and Telecommunications Market
Overview
The Chinese telecom market is the largest in the world. China is making real
strides in becoming an advanced telecommunications market. This report presents
a range of key statistical indicators and gives an overall picture of the Chinese
telecom market, including market highlights and the regulatory environment.
Timor
Leste - Telecom Market Report
The newly independent East Timor is in the process of rebuilding its entire
infrastructure after the turbulence that ensued after the referendum of 1999.
The United Nations Transitional Administration in East Timor (UNTAET) provided
overall administrative and financial assistance during the transition period
until April 2002. Telstra operated telecommunications services until Timor
Telecom, took over in March 2003.
Georgia Telecoms, Mobile Market and Broadband Forecasts
The telecommunications sector in Georgia had been characterised for a long
time by outmoded and inadequate infrastructure resulting from under-investment
over decades. However, there has been a marked upward trend in Georgia’s
telecom market of late, with rising revenues and increased capital investment.
Mobile services, in particular, have become increasingly important, especially
given the poor fixed-line network (particularly in rural and remote areas).
Hong
Kong Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Report
The extensive roll out of sophisticated telecommunications infrastructure has
allowed Hong Kong to move quickly in providing around 75% of all households with
access to broadband connectivity. This has been accompanied by rapid growth in
the Internet market. Broadband Internet subscriptions well and truly surpassed
dial-up subscriptions since 2005. There are in excess of 4.8 million Internet
users in the territory.
India Telecoms and Broadband Overview and Forecasts
India continues to be one of the fastest growing major telecom markets in the world.
Sweeping reforms introduced by successive Indian governments over the last decade
have dramatically changed the nature of telecommunications in the country. The
mobile sector has grown from around 10 million subscribers in 2002 to 150 million
by the start of 2007. While GSM technology still dominates the mobile market,
CDMA has quickly grabbed almost 30% share. The mobile industry should continue
to boom. Fixed-line services grew strongly for a while but have been experiencing
zero and negative growth of late. This report presents the key measures and takes
a general look at the market direction.
Indonesia Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Markets Forecasts
The Indonesian telecom sector has been through a lot of turmoil over the last
decade. This report gives an overview of the market at a time when it seems to
have successfully weathered the worst of the country’s economic difficulties.
Growth, both in subscriber numbers and in revenues, has been occurring once
again and, more importantly, there are signs that the changes in the regulatory
regime and operator restructuring are starting to have a positive effect on the
industry. The mobile market has been especially strong. However, there were some
signs that the government was hesitating in its efforts to restructure the industry.
Japan Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Overview
Japan’s telecommunications sector is one of the most active markets in the world.
Coming into 2010, the country was witnessing the continued growth of VoIP and
triple-play services in particular, and strong competition among the mobile
operators in the 3G segment of the market was also ongoing. Especially noteworthy
has been the uptake of FttH services (with a corresponding move away from DSL)
and the big strides taken in developing digital and mobile broadcasting.
Kazakhstan Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Forecasts and Report
Kazakhstan has a booming telecoms market. New legislation adopted in 2004 opened
the floodgates for the liberalisation of the telecom sector and ended Kazakhtelecom’s
monopoly. By April 2005, four companies had been licensed to provide international
and long-distance services in competition with the incumbent. By year-end, over
1,000 licences had been issued for the provision of a range of telecom services.
Rapid growth in the mobile market has seen subscriber numbers surge from 260,000
in 2000 to over 12 million by late 2007.
Korea,
North and South - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Report
South Korea has one of the most vibrant and interesting telecommunications
markets in the world. Supported by a visionary government program of stimulating
development through liberalisation, deregulation and early privatisation of the
incumbent, a creative and energetic private sector and a technology savvy population,
the Republic of Korea continues to push forward on this front. By contrast, the
development of the telecoms sector in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
(DPRK) is seriously impeded by the country’s parlous economic state and the
government’s general repression of communications. See executive summary.
Kyrgyzstan Telecoms, Mobile and Internet Market Report
The telecommunications market in Kyrgyzstan has been opened up to both foreign and domestic
investors in accordance with requirements set down by the WTO. Under the terms of the WTO
accession, full liberalisation of the telecoms market had been expected to be achieved by
end-2006. According to the ITU, Kyrgyzstan had implemented full competition across all
segments of its telecoms sector as of 2007. See executive summary.
Lao Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Forecasts and Report
There was no hiding the fact that Laos has had to struggle for years with a poorly performing
economy and a commercial environment that was in desperate need of reform. However, in the 2006/07
period there was a noticeable shift in the outlook for the country with positive news being
reported on many fronts. Most importantly, a significant number of hydro-electric power projects
and mining ventures have become or are close to a reality, with many more possible projects in
the pipeline. Laos is at last moving forward in a confident fashion. It is also moving forward
in its efforts to strengthen its telecommunications infrastructure, to attract more foreign
investment into the sector and to introduce the latest telecom technologies.
Macao Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Forecasts and Report
Macau, a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of China, remains very low profile compared with
its bustling sister SAR, Hong Kong. The country has quietly built itself a strong modern
telecoms infrastructure, the equal of any country in the region, with very significant
penetration of telecom services. Macau has a fully integrated telecom network which
compares well with the best in Asia. The last remaining Portuguese colony in Asia, Macau
reverted to Mainland Chinese rule in 1999, becoming a SAR of China. The Macau Government
privatised its telecommunications system very early on – in 1981 – and chose Cable and Wireless
to operate and expand the service. Read executive summary.
Malaysia Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Forecasts and Report/font>
Malaysia has worked hard to create one of the more advanced telecom environments in the
developing world. This task of building an advanced telecom sector has had strong links
to national pride; certainly for a period in the 1990s the country busily promoted itself
as a regional high technology hub. Coming into 2009 virtually all of the 27 million people
in Malaysia had a mobile telephone service. This meant Malaysia had the second highest
mobile penetration in South East Asia after Singapore. Most significantly, growth in
the mobile sector was continuing during 2009, with a significant push into 3G services.
Maldives Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Forecasts and Report
With the country’s well-developed national network, the capital Malé is particularly well served,
as are the tourist resort islands. The critical issue of connectivity to the rest of the world
for its relatively small population of 350,000 has been addressed with considerable success;
this has been further enhanced by the provision of a major submarine cable connection to Sri
Lanka; at the same time the opportunity was taken to provide undersea links between the main
atolls, thereby substantially strengthening the domestic connectivity. Efficient telecommunications
services have been established to all inhabited islands by the national telco, Dhivehi Raajjeyge
Gulhun Pvt Ltd (Dhiraagu). Dhiraagu, a joint venture between the government (65%) and Cable &
Wireless plc (35%), has played a major role in setting up the country’s infrastructure.
The company, despite having been criticised in the past for its high tariff structure, has
played an undeniably important role in establishing and delivering telephone services
across the archipelago.
Mongolia Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Forecasts and Report
Since the Mongolian Government’s telecommunications reform program in the mid-1990s,
there has been effective liberalisation of all market segments, partial privatisation of
the fixed-line incumbent operator, Mongolia Telecom, and establishment of an independent
regulator. Mongolia acceded to the WTO in 1996. Competition is in place for both fixed
and mobile telephony, including local, long-distance, and international, Internet, VoIP,
and VSATs. The Internet market is a small but growing sector. Government initiatives such
as the e-Mongolia National Program are helping to spread Internet awareness and usage
throughout the country.
Myanmar (Burma) Telecoms, Mobile and Internet Report
Myanmar’s telecommunications sector continues to be dominated by the state-owned monopoly
telephone service provider, Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications (MPT). With the government’s
conservative approach to structural reform, it was not surprising that MPT continues to maintain
its monopoly over the telecom sector, being the sole national telephone network operator. MPT
drafted a 20-year master plan the period 1990 to 2010 and under this plan a range of different
projects have been implemented over the years to improve the underdeveloped network. The
expansion has been characterised, however, by a somewhat erratic rate of progress. Nevertheless,
the Myanmar has managed to move from around 100,000 installed fixed lines to an estimated
one million in 2008. Over the same time period the number of fixed-line subscribers
increased from 76,000 to an estimated 800,000. Despite this tenfold increase, however,
by 2009 the fixed-line penetration was still less than 2%. Reas executive summary.
Nepal Telecoms, Mobile and Internet Market Overview
By early 2007, however, hope for Nepal’s transition to a more stable period was certainly on the rise.
The Nepal’s first elections for over nine years were finally held in April 2008; a clear victory
going to the Maoists who were expected to renounce violence and become a party of government. With this
remarkable turnaround following years of difficulty, the scene was set to build on the considerable
progress already made in recent years in meeting the growing demand for telephone services. Not only
has there been strong subscriber growth, especially in the mobile sector, there was evidence of a
clear vision in the sector, including putting a reform process in place and planning for the building
of necessary telecommunications infrastructure. See executive summary.
Pakistan Key Statistics and Telecom Market Overview
Pakistan’s telecom market has struggled for a long time with the transition
from a regulated state-owned monopoly to a deregulated competitive structure.
The government set out plans to increase fixed-line teledensity from 2.5% at the end
of 2002 to 7% (around 10 million fixed lines) by 2010. To achieve this target, however,
more than one million lines still needs to be added annually. In the meantime, the whole
telecom landscape in Pakistan has changed with the phenomenal expansion of the mobile market.
Over the same period – 2002 to 2009 – the number of mobile subscribers jumped from less than
2 million to more than 94 million. Despite a tightening national economy, coming into 2009
the mobile market continued to expand at an annual rate in excess of 10%.
Philippines Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband Market Report
Philippines key telecom market statistics and regulatory overviews. While the
telecom sector in the Philippines has witnessed considerable investment and
activity since deregulation in 1993, the market has fallen short of its potential.
However, there are strong signs that this is changing.
Singapore - Telecommunications Infrastructure
Singapore’s reputation for a truly progressive telecommunications market over
the past three decades has been built on its excellent infrastructure. Whilst
the Singapore’s geographical situation has been of considerable advantage in putting
its infrastructure in place, other factors, including the government’s strong
commitment to developing telecommunications, have certainly helped.
Sri Lanka - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts
A modern progressive telecommunications sector is certainly high on the list of priorities
for Sri Lanka. There is considerable determination within the country to work at strengthening
the economy and general well-being of the country. A good start has been made on expansion and
provision of infrastructure that is capable of providing a sophisticated level of telecommunications
service to the population throughout the country. Nevertheless, much still needs to be done to
complete the build-out of the necessary national infrastructure.
Taiwan - Broadband Market, Overview and Statistics Report
In a short time, Taiwan has become a significant player in
broadband Internet access.
The government has been busy promoting the benefits of broadband
and has committed
the country to being on a par with the US by 2010. By September
2003, Taiwan was
ranked fourth in the world in terms of broadband penetration
with 13%, up from 4% just
two years earlier. By mid-2005, the penetration had been lifted
to over 17%. At end-2004,
the IDC Information Society Index (ISI) rated Taiwan as having
the world’s best wireless
Internet penetration. The report looks at the broadband side of
the Internet revolution that
has taken place in Taiwan.
Tajikistan - Telecoms, Mobile and Internet Market Overview
Tajikistan’s telecommunications network is arguably the least developed of all
the countries that emerged from the former Soviet Union. With a telecom network
that was near total collapse, the government has started the daunting task of
bringing it up to modern standards. A gradual process of liberalisation is
under way and a number of private operators have been allowed to enter the
telecom market since 1996, notably in the mobile and Internet sectors.
Thailand - Telecoms, Mobile, Broadband and Forecasts
Thailand would appear to have shrugged off its earlier hesitation about the Internet.
It has been energetically embracing everything online in the marketplace. After a period
of heavy dependence on dial-up, the country has been making a strong push into broadband
services. Most significantly, some of the players have started committing significant
capital to building infrastructure. At the same time a start has been made on restructuring
the Internet market. Once government changes to the regulatory regime start to impact, there
should be even greater opportunity for broadband Internet to flourish. This report gives
a general overview at the Thai broadband Internet market.
Turkmenistan - Telecom Market Overview
Communications services in Turkmenistan are the least developed of all the CIS
countries. Poor growth in telecoms services, the slow progress in the development
of the private sector and continuing state control over most economic activities
have not been helpful in growing the country’s telecommunications market.
Combined fixed-line and mobile teledensity was estimated at roughly 10% in 2005.
The Internet is controlled by the government and access is severely restricted.
Uzbekistan - Telecommunications Market Overview, Statistics and Forecast
Uzbekistan has been struggling to bring its telecom system up to the standard
found in more developed countries. Although steadily improving, a substantial
portion of the telecoms infrastructure remains outmoded and inadequate. Since
2002 the situation has markedly improved, due largely to the government giving
priority to the ICT sector.
Vietnam - Broadband Market
Having come late to the Internet, Vietnam is only now starting to explore the possibilities
to be found in higher Internet access speeds. The initial roll-out of some broadband services
has been followed by a strong surge in growth, but broadband remains on a relatively small
scale and in need of a stronger market focus by the providers. Given that there are signs
of an increasingly Internet savvy population, it will be interesting to see how services
such as WiMAX take off. This report looks at the early development of broadband in the
country, as well as the embryonic e-commerce market. Interestingly, the government has
been particularly active in the development of cyber laws.
Asia Internet Usage and Population
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Asia
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