Global international long-distance and bandwidth trends remain in character, according to the latest TeleGeography (News - Alert) data. Users are consuming about 60 percent more bandwidth every year, while pricing per bit continues to drop. International voice growth continues to slow. The notable feature of 2011 might be that a huge number of new cables will come into service. In fact, the number of new cables will just about equal the peak number of new cables put into service in the "bubble" year of 2000. 

International voice traffic grew at a compound rate of 13 percent between 1990 and 2009, according to TeleGeography. But the rate of growth has slowed considerably since 2007, when the growth rate was about 14 percent. In 2009, the growth rate was about five percent. Though traffic still is growing most strongly in the Asia-Pacific region, moderately in Africa and slightly in North America, traffic is flat in Europe and declining in Latin America. 

Mobile-terminated minutes exceeded fixed-line terminated minutes in 2008, while mobile originated minutes are growing, while fixed-network originated minutes are declining. A crossover for originated minutes might not occur until 2013 or so, but seems inevitable, at which point more international long distance minutes will originate and terminate on mobile devices.

International wholesale revenue growth actually was a negative two percent or so in 2009. But international Skype (News - Alert)-to-Skype traffic began to grow strongly in 2007. As a result, "international long distance is becoming a zero-sum game," TeleGeography says. What one provider gains can come only at another provider's expense. 

Though arguably not as pronounced, there also is price pressure in carrier Ethernet and IP-VPN pricing as well. 

Global bandwidth growth in 2010 was about 60 percent globally, but above 100 percent in South Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. Growth was below 60 percent in East Asia, North America and Oceania. 

None of those trends are out of character with what we have seen over the past half decade. But 2011 might be most notable for another reason. Not since 2000 will so many new undersea cables be activated. About 21 new cables were activated in 2000. In 2011, some 20 new cables will be come into service.