The impact of wireless telecommunications on peoples' lives has been far reaching, and is likely to accelerate as wireless technologies pervade U.S. and international societies. The industry's logarithmic growth, as seen in Figure 1, has reached an estimated 86 million subscribers in the United States alone, up from only 5 million subscribers only ten years ago. Structure of the Regional Industry In San Diego, the wireless industry represents a technological sector within the communications cluster. From 1990 to 1998, it was the fastest growing cluster, realizing a 210 percent increase in employment growth, with 1998 employment totaling 20,619 workers. In contrast, the rate of employment growth for the region was 10 percent.
Communications is also one of the highest paying clusters.
Although wireless telecommunications is not itself an industrial cluster, San Diego probably would not have a communications industry without wireless firms.