[1]A new report released today by the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association [1] (CWTA) reveals the Canadian wireless sector generated an overall economic benefit of $50.2 billion in 2011, an increase of 16.7% from the $43 billion in 2010. The Benefit of the Wireless Telecommunications Industry to the Canadian Economy [2] study, conducted by Nordicity, concludes that the Canadian wireless sector’s economic benefit has increased dramatically, as Canadians’ adoption of smartphones, tablets and mobile data services and applications has also increased at a rapid pace.
“The wireless sector continues to yield significant economic benefits on both the supply-side and the demand-side,” said Nordicity Partner Stuart Jack. “The supply-side impacts include the GDP and employment attributable to economic activity within the wireless sector. The demand-side impacts include the consumer surplus generated by the competitive pricing and innovative services available to Canadians.”
Key Findings:
- The Canadian wireless industry generated an overall economic benefit of $50.2 billion in 2011, when direct and multiplier effects associated with the industry’s GDP ($38.7 billion) are combined with the consumer surplus generated by wireless voice and data services ($11.5 billion).
- The Canadian wireless industry generated $20.7 billion in direct GDP in 2011. Direct GDP was up by 15% from $18 billion in 2010. Most of this increase was associated with Canadians’ increasing use of smartphones and wireless data services.
- Out of the wireless industry’s direct GDP of $20.7 billion, $13.4 billion, or 64%, was retained in Canada.
- Canada’s wireless industry supported 280,000 jobs in 2011, including direct, support-staff and indirect employment. The inclusion of induced impact employment brought the wireless industry’s total employment impact to 308,000.
- Canadian wireless network operators made capital investment totalling $2.6 billion in 2011.
“With more than 90% of Canadians aged 15 and over now using a wireless device, we are connected like never before,” said Bernard Lord, CWTA President & CEO. “Not only has wireless become essential to the lives of Canadians, it has also become a critical component of our economic prosperity.”
Bernard Lord will further discuss the importance of the wireless sector to Canadian society and the Canadian economy during a keynote speech today at 4.15pm EDT at the Canadian Telecom Summit [3] taking place in Toronto.
1 Comment To "Canadian Wireless Sector Generates Economic Benefit of $50.2 Billion"
#1 Comment By Tami Quiring (@VillageGamer) On Monday June 3, 2013 @ 3:30 am
.@CWTAwireless Report: Canadian Wireless Sector Generates Economic Benefit of $50.2 Billion [8]