IDC forecasts global spending on telecommunication and pay TV services will reach $1,565 billion in 2020, representing a decline of 1.1% year on year. Although this market will return to growth in 2021, it is not expected to achieve the pre-COVID-19 spending levels before 2022.
The latest forecast for telecom services spending is a bit more optimistic than the one published in September. The major reason for this is the better-than-expected results reported by telecom operators in the Asia/Pacific region, especially in China.
This is the logical consequence of the Chinese economy's fast recovery, which brought a new wave of optimism and boosted demand for telecommunication services.
India, the third largest market in the Asia/Pacific region, also witnessed unexpectedly positive movement. Although the forecast for that market remains negative, it has improved by several percentage points and thus enhanced the results for the entire region.
Regional telecommunications services revenue and year-on-year growth (in US$ billions)
| Global Region | 2019 Revenue | 2020 Revenue | 2020/2019 Growth |
| Americas | $624 | $620 | -0.7% |
| Asia/Pacific | $480 | $577 | -0.6% |
| EMEA | $477 | $467 | -2.0% |
| Grand Total | $1,582 | $1,565 | -1.1% |
* Note: Forecast values.
The 1H20 update of the Worldwide Semiannual Telecom Services Tracker has verified that the telecommunications industry remains one of the most resilient sectors of the global economy during the COVID-19 crisis.
"The telecom services segment is weathering the COVID-19 storm better than other ICT segments," said Carrie MacGillivray, group vice president and general manager, Worldwide Telecom, Mobility, and IoT research at IDC. "Connectivity has been the linchpin in keeping individuals connected and businesses operational during this unprecedented time. COVID-19 will be a case study we will reference for years to come as the start of the Future of Connectedness."
