The number of worldwide subscriptions for wireless services is expected to reach five billion this month, equaling 73.4 percent of the world?s population, according to an iSuppli report.

After the worldwide subscriptions cross the five billion mark, it will increase by another 1 million and hit 5.1 billion by the end of the year. This will amount to 74.5 percent of the world?s population.

?Wireless subscriptions continue to grow in the mobile space,? said Dr. Jagdish Rebello, senior director and principal analyst for wireless research at iSuppli, El Segundo, CA.

?Especially in the emerging markets in India,? he said.

ISuppli helps technology companies and provides more information about the mobile industry, including smartphones, 4G technology and developments occurring in the Asia-Pacific market every day.

Mobile research
According to the iSuppli report wireless now represents the biggest stage that any technology market has ever played on and offers unlimited opportunities for members of the mobile communications supply chain.

Each of the subscriptions represents a recurring payment for wireless services that are delivered to a device.

It ranges from a feature phone to a smartphone.

Suppli me information
The global installed base of wireless devices will amount to 4.9 billion by the end of the year, according to iSuppli.

The remaining subscribers will be accounted for by additional Subscriber Identification modules that are used in mobile handsets and services to Machine-to-Machine communication systems.

According to the report, penetration of wireless subscriptions varies widely by regions.

Penetration for both Africa and the Middle East region amounts to 50 percent.

Western Europe has a high penetration ? there are more subscriptions than citizens ? of 157.6 percent.

According to Mr. Rebello, the evolution of mobile devices into smartphones is leading to the deployment of more value-added services, software and components.

?We have forecasted earlier that based on the strong performance, subscriptions would slow down in 2010, but that did not happen,? Mr. Rebello said.

?It?s continuing to increase and at a very strong pace,? he said.

Final Take
Rimma Kats, editorial assistant at Mobile Marketer, New York