Global: Mobile connections to surpass 6 billion by year-end

Total global mobile connections are set to surpass 6 billion by year-end, according to the latest Wireless Intelligence forecasts, a landmark which would mean the industry has added the last 1 billion connections in just 16 months. Wireless Intelligence estimates that the 6 billion milestone will be reached in late November and that total global connections will end the year at 6.07 billion. Africa is set to overtake the Americas as the second-largest regional market on 648 million connections (11 per cent of the total). Africa is forecast to record the strongest year-on-year connections growth of all the global regions, rising 18 per cent over the previous year.