The wireless industry has become a strong driver of the USA’s economy, comparable to the US automobile industry, according to Ovum the analyst and consulting firm, reports
Cellular News.

In a study commissioned by CTIA-The Wireless Association in the US, Ovum found that 3.6 million jobs were directly and indirectly dependent on the US wireless telecommunications industry in 2004. In that same year, the wireless industry generated US$118 billion in revenues and contributed US$92 billion to the US Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is comparable to the US automobile industry.

Carried out in collaboration with Indepen, a London-based think-tank, the study has important repercussions for Europe.

“Most people think of the US as behind Europe in the area of mobile services,” says David Lewin of Indepen. “But this study shows that Americans extract far more economic and social value from mobiles services than Europeans.