By contrast, the number of fixed telephone lines decreased by about 1.5 per cent as more people are opting to use only mobile cellular networks or bundled Internet and voice services.1 In developing countries, where fixed-line telephone services have been undersupplied and of poor quality in many locations, the spread of mobile cellular service continues to be rapid, having grown by an estimated 17 per cent between 2009 and 2010. In 2000, developing countries accounted for only about 40 per cent of global subscriptions to mobile services, but by 2010 their share had increased to 73 per cent. Between 2008 and 2009, mobile cellular penetration in developing countries surpassed the 50 per cent mark, and by end-2010, it had reached an estimated 68 per 100 inhabitants (figure 1).