The exponential growth of mobile phone technologies and usage has had a considerable impact
within the APEC economies. Over the past decade, growth in the number of mobile cellular
subscriptions has far outpaced that of fixed telephone subscriptions, which are in fact declining
in a number of economies. More specifically, the number of active mobile broadband Internet
subscriptions has dramatically increased in the region, as illustrated in Figure 4. While Peru only has an active mobile broadband Internet subscription rate of 2.8/100 pop., Singapore’s active mobile broadband Internet subscription rate of 124.5/100 pop. IMR extends the user’s voice and SMS coverage so that their device may be used in other countries. This usage is not limited to voice communication, but also increasingly data, such as Internet access, text messaging, and
mobile applications. High IMR charges that vary quite widely among economies can be viewed as
a significant impediment to cross-border trade and travel.