This weekend, the mobile phone industry will connect the 2nd billionth GSM mobile phone user in the world, the GSM Association said in an official release issued on Tuesday.
New users are signing up at the rate of 1,000 per minute (just under 18 per second) to services that include both second generation (2GSM), as well as third generation (3GSM) services - for which there are already more than 72 million users in the world, GSMA said.
"This is the fastest-growth of technology ever witnessed. While it took just 12 years for the industry to reach the 1st billion connection, the 2nd billion has been achieved in just two-and-a-half years boosted by the phenomenal take up of mobiles in emerging markets like China, India, Africa and Latin America, which accounted for 82% of t
he total number of subscribers," Craig Ehrlich, chairman of GSMA, said.
China is the single-largest GSM market in the world today, with more than 370 million users, followed by Russia with 145 million, India with 83 million and the USA with 78 million users. In India, mobile phones have become the fastest-selling consumer product - pushing bicycles to the number 2 spot.
"With the achievement of the 2nd billion milestone, GSM has become the first communications technology to have more users in the developing world than the developed world. What this means is that mobile phones are 'bridging the digital divide' at an astonishing rate with relevant, affordable solutions that help families stay in touch, businesses to grow and economies to develop," Rob Conway, CEO of GSMA, said.