Report Bullish on Telecom Future

CHICAGO, June 19 -- Despite its current woes, the worldwide telecommunications market will continue to grow, predicts the Annual Review of Communications.

"The current blind panic in the telecommunications market is no more justified than the blind faith that preceded it," said Dean Eyers, group vice president and worldwide director of Gartner Dataquest's Telecommunications and Networking Group and a contributor to the Annual Review.

According to the report, the telecommunications services market, for instance, saw growth in all regions during 2001 and is expected to continue to do so through 2005, with a prediction of strong growth in the data services, packet voice and mobile services sectors that will combine to drive overall growth to more than 10 percent per year. It is also forecast that the demand for more bandwidth and for more secure and distributed networks and services will remain strong. While the current economy puts many of the weaker companies at risk, those that persevere could anticipate emerging in a stronger competitive position.