GSM Mobile Phones Notch Up More Than Two Billion Users

London, United Kingdom , 2006-06-13

GSM Association:
-- By this weekend, GSM mobile phones will be used by more than two billion people worldwide - almost twice as many as use the Internet.

-- The second billion has taken just two and a half years to achieve - every minute, the GSM community welcomes 1,000 new users.

-- The phenomenal growth of GSM, which is in use in 213 countries and territories, is being driven by soaring demand in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Of the second billion GSM connections, 82% are in the developing world.

-- China is the world's largest GSM market followed by Russia, India and the U.S..

-- Five of the top 10 fastest growing GSM markets are in Asia

-- GSM users now send one trillion text messages each year

-- In China, sales of music via mobile phones outstrip sales of music CDs

More pictures and facts available at: www.gsmworld.com/2billion_images.shtml

The GSM Association is a global trade association representing more than 680 mobile phone operators in 213 countries.

MULTIMEDIA AVAILABLE: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=5167785

Contact

CONTACT: GSM Association David Pringle +44 795 755 6069 [email protected] , ,