In its annual study TIA released some interesting stats. These are part of their report “Broadband Demand Drives Highest Telecom Industry Growth Since 2000”. While, the headline is not a surprise. (affordable) Broadband changes everything, it was some of the other stats that caught my eye.

Worldwide, Europe has the largest telecommunications market, measuring at $1 trillion, with the U.S. second at $923 billion and Asia/Pacific third at $715 billion. Overall, the international market grew 12.1 percent in 2006. Middle East/Africa was the fastest- growing region, expanding at 21.6 percent. By 2010, the global market is expected to reach $4.3 trillion in revenue.

Growth is expected in VoIP, as the broadband-based phone technology is forecast to make up 34 percent of all U.S. residential landlines by 2010, or 25.5 million subscribers, up from just 10 percent and 9.5 million subscribers in 2006. A majority of cable telephone subscriptions use VoIP.

IP/converged systems are expected to overtake traditional enterprise systems by 2009.