Outlook for Different Technologies with some mobile operators taking advantage of the current climate to tidy up their subscriber bases and eliminate inactive accounts. The global ICT industry as a whole has seen common trends in reduced demand, operational cutbacks and curtailed investment, but overall, the ICT industry has proved relatively resilient, compared with some other sectors, and some analysts see signs of recovery in the ICT sector (Insight 10). However, the crisis is having a markedly different impact on different ICTs, with growth in some sectors (such as mobile and satellite) remaining buoyant. This makes it difficult to speak of the general overall experience of the sector, without reviewing the growth prospects for individual technologies. Certain niche markets (such as the smartphone) have also proven immune to the recession. Projections of mobile service revenues remain positive over the short- to medium-term. The wireless industry has been well-served to date by private sector provision, partly due to the lower initial outlays, rapid payback times and healthy returns on investment. This may explain why some economic stimulus plans have tended to overlook the wireless sector and focus on wireline infrastructure. The mobile industry looks set to continue delivering steady, albeit slower, growth and profits despite the financial crisis (Insight 11). Operators are focusing on adapting their business models and developing their mobile broadband operations to secure long-term growth. The mobile industry has weathered the economic slowdown relatively unscathed, with only a mild slowdown in growth. Global growth in mobile subscribers was subdued throughout early 2009, with a weak first quarter in terms of mobile handset shipments. Growth in major emerging markets has slowed somewhat, but virtually all emerging markets continue to grow, albeit at a reduced rate. Only a handful of countries have seen reductions in their mobile subscriber base, For broadband Internet and Next-Generation Network (NGN) deployments, 2008 proved a tough operating year, but growth over 2008 and Q1 2009 was in line with long-term trends (Insight 12). Deployments of broadband networks and NGN are set to continue, with or without 12