Industry overview

Telecoms industry overview

Driven by advances in communications technology, notably the Internet, broadband and mobile phones, the Telecoms industry is fast becoming indistinguishable from the IT industry in terms of the skills required and the job roles within it.

Telecoms industry at a glance

Telecommunications is the provision of products and services for the transmission of voice and data communications.  There are approximately 8,500 businesses in the UK manufacturing Telecoms products and providing Telecoms services.  Recent broadband, mobile and wireless technology has changed the face of both business and home life.  Services are tending towards integration whereby a range of communications products is provided from single suppliers [TV, radio, telephone, broadband etc] through one access portal.

Telecoms workforce

• Around 300,000 people work in the industry
• Roughly 45,000 are engineers

Last modified: 26 Jun 2007