Users' appetite for GSM services shows now sign of being fully satisfied just yet, if Ericsson's announcement that it has reached its one millionth base station milestone is anything to go by.
Since 1991, the company has deployed GSM networks in more than 100 countries, connecting just short of two-and-a-half billion users worldwide.
The milestone millionth installation occurred in a deal with mobile operator MTN Nigeria, further highlighting the growth in demand for GSM among users. Indeed, Ericsson says that it has delivered the same number of base stations in the last three years alone as it did in the entire period between 1991 and 2003.
The company looks set to continue this momentum and hopes to capitalise on the boom about to occur in the GSM market, with the GSM Association (GSMA) predicting that subscriber numbers will be boosted by 40 million each month during 2007.
Ericsson is witnessing this increasing demand for GSM first-hand. In India, for example it installs four new GSM base stations every hour.
"After 16 years, the pace of GSM deployments shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, we expect 2007 to be the fifth consecutive record year for deliveries," said Kurt Jofs, executive vice president and head of business unit networks at Ericsson.
