Still, there are parts of the world where telephones are unknown. The World Bank and the International Telecommunications Union speculate that 4 billion people globally are without a telephone and half the people on earth have never made a phone call. Growth opportunities abound. Telecommunications is a diverse industry. Its components include local phone service, long distance carriers, wireless companies, telecommunications equipment manufacturers, cable companies, satellite transmissions, and, some would say, huge pieces of the entertainment and computer industries.
Telecommunications companies are in play.
Telecommunications cross-fertilize other industries. There are more and more companies getting into the telecommunications business. Even companies whose primary business may not be telecommunications are defining themselves as being in the telecommunications business. Cable television is the most visible. Industries from banking to pharmaceuticals to transportation are increasingly viewing telecommunications as a critical success factor.