Report charts development of "information skyway" | 25 June |
The Financial Times' telecoms and media division has published a report on mobile communications. The report, entitled "Personal Communications Services - Strategies and Markets," highlights the development of, what author Paul Quigley calls, "the information skyway." This information skyway, Quigley notes, is a new market that represents the convergence of wireless voice with mobile data and is set to become the basis for the next information revolution, he claims. The report cites analyst predictions which suggest that, between 1886 and the year 2005, spending on PCS (personal communications system) infrastructure will total around the $23 billion mark, and that, worldwide, a new customer subscribes to a wireless service every second of every day. The report claims that PCS will be among the most important worldwide developments in telecoms. According to the report, wireless comms is the leading catalyst for change in the telecoms and IT (information technology) revolution. This, the report notes, has encouraged greater competition, deregulation, and the liberalization of markets around the world. The report also examines the international business and residential markets for PCS, as well as the major players, competition and regulatory issues, market demands, cost implications, and how the global success of personal communications will be achieved. According to the report, "PCS is the most important early 21st century embodiment of an evolutionary process which began in the 19th century with telegraphy." The report notes that PCS will primarily be offered through either broadband PCS or advanced cordless telephone. A key aspect of future PCS which cellular does not address on a wholesale front, is the implementation and market entry of PCS service providers. Projected demand for PCS among residential/domestic and international/business markets vary, the report claims, from between 100 million and 500 million subscribers worldwide by the year 2005. Currently, companies with PCS operations running include the UK, Germany, Malaysia, Switzerland, Singapore, Thailand, and the US, although Canada, Denmark, France, Mexico, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Japan, and others are expected to establish PCS networks by the end of next year. According to Adriene Burridge, a spokesperson for the FT telecoms and media publishing division, the report will benefit telecoms and IT companies, as well as investment banks, regulators and consultants, and all telecoms professionals with an interest in the industry. "PCS - Strategies and Markets," an FT management report by Paul Quigley, sells for UKP350 (US$560). (Sylvia Dennis/19960624/Press Contact: Sheldon Communications, +44-171-436-1553; Reader Contact: FT Telecoms & Media Publishing, tel +44-171-896-2234, fax +44-171-896-2256) |
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From the NEWSBYTES news service, 25 June |