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GSMA study predicts industry will account for 4.5% of region’s projected GDP by end of decade.
The mobile industry will be worth nearly $1 trillion (€900 billion) per year to North America’s economy by 2020, predicted the GSMA this week.
That’s the equivalent of 4.5% of the region’s projected GDP by the end of the decade, the industry body said, and is thanks to North America’s pioneering role in the development of 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), smart cities, and connected cars.
By comparison, the mobile industry’s contribution to the North American economy last year was $710 billion, or 3.6% of GDP.
The figures are included in a new GSMA published this week, called The Mobile Economy: North America 2016.
"Thanks to the billions of dollars of investment made by mobile operators in their networks in recent years, North America is a leader in mobile usage and engagement, characterised by huge levels of mobile data consumption," said GSMA chief marketing officer Michael O’Hara, in a statement.
Indeed, North America boasts 284 million unique mobile subscribers, equal to 79% of the population. That figure is forecast to reach 315 million or 85% of the population, by 2020.
North America has the highest smartphone adoption rate in the world as well, with the devices accounting for 75% of the region’s connections.
Meanwhile, 4G penetration stands at more than 50%, which is fuelling explosive growth in mobile data consumption. According to Cisco, by the end of the decade, data use per subscriber will reach 9 GB per month in North America, up from 2 GB in 2015.
"The recent decision in the U.S. to identify and open up spectrum for 5G services – alongside its leadership of the IoT market – has reaffirmed the region as one of the world’s most advanced mobile markets and one that is leading the next wave of mobile innovation," O’Hara said.
