TELECOMS FOCUS
THE WORLD IS more connected than ever . The internet and mobile ages have brought with it an unprecedented level of communication and contact between previously far-flung corners of the earth .
Today there are more than 7.2 billion mobile connections in an industry which turned over $ 1.13 trillion in 2013 .
More than two billion of these connections come from smartphones , with this set to rise to six billion by 2020 according to global association the GSMA , representative of nearly 800 of the globe ’ s mobile operators .
Though the likes of Apple and Samsung dominate the media headlines in the mobile and smartphone sphere , the low-end market is exploding with sub- $ 50 phones able to connect seamlessly to the internet now a reality , and driven by operators producing their own devices .
Another global association , the CTIA ( Wireless Association ), states that tablets account for 40 percent of all mobile broadband connections . In America , 66 percent of such connections will be made via tablets this year .
Despite the surge in connectivity since the turn of the millennium , only one third of the world ’ s people have access to the internet . In a drive to connect the most isolated parts of the world to the undoubted benefits of the World Wide Web , huge companies are pouring investment into initiatives across all continents .
For instance , Facebook , Nokia , Qualcomm and Samsung are spearheading an Internet . org initiative involving the development aeroplane-sized internet drones in its bid to link up the remaining two thirds of the global population .
The work of programmes like this and the collaboration of global telecoms and internet providers will be crucial in taking the next steps towards a truly connected planet .
10 March 2015