The booming wireless sector in Canada, marked by the Big Three and supported by hundreds of smaller companies, added $43 billion to the Canadian economy in 2010. This is according to the Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA) based on research done by UK-based Ovum Consulting.
The sector supported 260,000 jobs in the year, with a base salary over $20,000 above the average. The breakdown is as follows: $18 billion to Canada’a GDP (gross domestic product); $15.66 billion of economic flow through to contributing suppliers in the supply chain; and $9.31 billion in “consumer surplus” based on consumer satisfaction and time saved by using mobile products.
The “return on investment” of mobile technology is difficult to quantify, as millions of users rely on smartphones to do business such as email, phone calls and productivity apps, but thousands of hours are wasted to games, social networking and aimless browsing. Overall, however, it seems that the net benefit is now being quantified in some way, and that number is likely to increase substantially in the coming years.
“Canada’s wireless industry has once again demonstrated its critical importance to our country’s economy and prosperity,” said CWTA President & CEO Bernard Lord. “The industry remains committed to ensuring that Canadians are provided with the most advanced and reliable wireless networks available.”
Source: CNW
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