The scope of rivalry is global, particularly with the signing, by seventy countries, of a 1997 World Trade Organization agreement to open their telecommunications markets to competition. The span of this agreement involves ninety percent of current global telecommunication revenues. Technological advances, deregulation, and mega-mergers are fueling the industry s growth rate. 10.99 Growth has continued in all product areas of this industry. Data transmission over the Internet has been the most significant growth product.
Current networks carry as much data as they do voice transmissions.
While voice services are expected to slow, wireless services have only scratched the surface of their market potential. Domestically there are a handful of large telecommunications companies, and several hundred small competitors. This picture is changing almost on a daily basis. Merger madness seems to be the strategic preference among the larger companies. The restrictive cost of building a network has led these companies to buy their customers as an alternative.