The previous year, IDATE had forecast that 2002 would be marked by slower growth in the various markets for telecommunications services in a highly perturbed context sustained by an almost unending series of bankruptcies and reported accounting malpractices in the USA and balance sheet of major European operators reflecting record debt figures and negative bottom lines resulting from enormous acquisition imbalances.

The forecasts were supported by the following observations:

n In Western Europe, growth had been fuelled mainly by the mobile sector, which was beginning to witness a substantially slower increase in the subscriber base

n In North America, long-distance operators could not see any improvements in their markets and local operators were coming up against growing difficulties, whereas the Internet and mobile sectors were enjoying lively expansion

n Asia constituted the world’s leading growth region, although displaying wide differences according to country (a clear slowdown in Japan in contrast with a fully expanding market in China)

n Other developing regions were achieving sustained growth with the help of upgrading programs, except in Latin America, where the painful impact of the economic and financial recession of 2001 started to make itself felt.