Mobile Subscriber Forecast Calls for 128 Percent Penetration by 2020

The US mobile market is entering a new evolutionary phase as use of consumer adoption of mobile and wireless devices and services nears, or has reached, saturation, according to Strategy Analytics. With the base of new customers shrinking, US wireless network operators are now focusing on promoting “always on” connectivity, moving customers to smartphones and 4G LTE service, and finding ways to monetize data use, the market research company said.

Even with growth in new subscribers slowing, nearly 100 million wireless subscribers will be added to the US market by 2020, which will bring market penetration to 128 percent, according to Strategy Analytics’ “US Wireless Market Outlook 2015-2020.” That includes new connections from consumer electronics (CE) devices but excludes fast-growing M2M (machine-to-machine) connections. Turning to revenue, Strategy Analytics forecasts the US wireless market will grow 0.2 percent to reach $197 billion in 2020. That would be up just slightly from 2015’s $195 billion.