Worldwide mobile penetration to exceed 50% this year

According to the latest research just released by telecoms analysis company The Mobile World, there are now nearly 3.0 billion mobile users worldwide. The company says that figure is set to rise to over 3.25bn by the end of 2007, giving a global penetration rate of over 50%.

At the end of March 2007, there were 2.84 billion mobile phone connections worldwide, an increase of more than 135 million on the December 2006 number. This is the third strongest quarter in the industry’s history and by far the best ever first quarter.

Some other key points from the report, based on research covering January-March 2007: 

• 2.84 billion mobile users worldwide as at 31st March 2007.
• Global additions of 135 million in the quarter, 25% up on Q1 06. This is equivalent to more than 1,000 new customers every minute.
• The quarter saw the third largest increase in the industry’s history (after Q4 05 and Q4 06, +142m and +163m respectively).
• Mobile penetration in Europe now exceeds 100%, with 666 million connections.
• Over 250 million new handsets were sold in the quarter, another Q1 record