NTT still the largest operator worldwide, but probably for the last time?


Stuttgart, Germany - 22nd September, 2005 - The Japanese operator NTT has constantly been the world’s largest operator of telecommunications services over the last few years. In 2004, NTT recorded revenues 32% higher than the second ranked operator, the US company Verizon Communications. Ranking third was the US operator SBC Communications ahead MII China (Ministry of Information Industry) — major shareholder of China Telecom, China Mobile, China Netcom and China Railcom. The German incumbent, Deutsche Telekom, remains the largest European operator of telecommunications services recording net revenues amounting to nearly $55bn. Deutsche Telekom is followed by mobile operator Vodafone, and then four European incumbents, namely France Telecom, Telecom Italia and Telefónica of Spain. The US operator AT&T ranks 10th. However, in August 2005, AT&T was acquired by SBC and together would likely assume the first position in the global ranking of communications services in 2005, overtaking NTT and Verizon. Finally a new entrant in the 2004 Top-20 ranking is Australian incumbent Telstra, positioned at the 18th place, whereas MCI Inc. — formerly WorldCom —left the Top-20.

This market analysis comes from InfoCom’s Teleseeq yearbook: regional trends, 2004 market shares, global positioning, historic indicators, and forecast of the key global markets until 2009, can be found amongst others within this essential information source.

NB: In the TELESEEQ Yearbook, operators' positions are described in terms of "net revenues" rather than of "turnover", in order to allow more significant comparisons regarding their real activity in telecommunications services. Practically, it means that expenses such as access charges, outgoing settlements and the like, are subtracted from gross revenues.


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