Wireless Telecommunications Services
Companies in this industry operate and maintain switching and transmission facilities to provide telecommunications services via the airwaves. Major companies include AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile USA (all based in the US), as well as América Móvil (Mexico), China Mobile, Deutsche Telekom (Germany), NTT DoCoMo (Japan), and Vodafone Group (UK).
Global industry revenues topped $1 trillion in 2018 and are expected to reach $1.14 trillion by 2025, according to GSMA Intelligence. Mobile connections worldwide total about 7.9 billion, the equivalent of more than one subscription per human. (Some people have multiple subscriptions and devices.) Top countries by number of wireless subscriptions include China, India, Indonesia, the US, and Brazil, according to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).
The US wireless telecommunications services industry includes about 16,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of more than $265 billion. The industry includes companies that operate wireless telecommunications networks and related facilities. Companies that resell wireless telecommunications services, including mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) popular in Europe and Asia, are covered in a separate industry profile.
Competitive Landscape
With some markets reaching saturation, competition has grown fierce as wireless telecommunications service providers fight to attract subscribers from other carriers to sustain revenue growth. Until recently, the proliferation of smartphones and tablets largely drove revenue and R&D growth. Companies can differentiate their services through pricing, network performance, customer service, and diversity of offerings, such as mobile, broadband, and TV services.
The US wireless telecommunications industry is highly concentrated: the four largest companies generate about 90% of industry revenue. Companies may compete with wired cable networks that provide high-speed fixed internet service. Major carriers also compete with companies that resell wireless services, including mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), which tend to be lower-cost.
Company Spotlight:
AT&T Mobility serves some 142 million total mobile users in the US, second only to Verizon Wireless. It also provides international network coverage for its subscribers in more than 200 countries through partnerships with other carriers.
China Mobile Communications is the world's largest wireless network operator by subscribers, serving nearly 900 million users. It provides wireless services under the GoTone and M-Zone brands in some 30 regions of mainland China.
Verizon Wireless is the top US wireless phone operator, both in terms of sales and subscribers. Verizon serves some 120 million consumer, business, and government customers.
Products, Operations & Technology
Major services include voice calls, text messaging, and internet access. While voice telephony traditionally dominated wireless network traffic, data surpassed
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Sales & Marketing
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Finance & Regulation
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Regional & International Issues
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Human Resources
Also includes the following chapters:
Quarterly Industry Update
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Industry Indicators
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Business Challenges
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Trends and Opportunities
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Call Preparation Questions
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Financial Information
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Industry Forecast
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Industry Websites
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Glossary of Acronyms