According to reports from Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), IT execs are anticipating a reserved increase in this year’s business sales. While it’s not likely there will be much of a change from last year’s numbers, the most recent IT Industry Outlook forecasts a 4.5% universal IT industry growth rate in 2012, with an upside potential of just over 7.5%. The estimate for the national market, however, is somewhat less, with IT industry execs optimistic on software sales and IT services.
The non-profit trade association’s most recent quarterly Industry Business Confidence Index remains level. The 100 point scale shows a slight increase to 52.1 from last year’s fourth quarter 51.9. The index calculates three metrics: one’s corporation, the opinions of the United States economy and the IT industry. While the state of the nation’s economy maintains to pessimistically impact the complete reading, the difference between the U.S. economic rating and that of the IT industry has persistently surpassed 16 points.
CompTIA’s VP of research, Tim Herbert, has stated that a number of factors continue to weigh on business confidence amid IT organizations, including “concerns about weak consumer and corporate demand, downward pressure on margins, access to capital, and government regulation.” He went on to say that, “The two-steps-forward-one-step-backward pattern experienced during much of 2011 has conditioned many businesses to expect a dose of bad news with any good news.”
In the meantime, CompTIA has spotted a number of trends to watch in their 2012 IT industry outlook, such as social technologies, mobility and the ever-popular cloud computing.
Will Telecom Revenue Reach $2.7 Trillion By 2017?
It will, according to a recent Insight Research report. The telecom industry market research and strategic analysis provider has predicted that the revenue for global telecommunications services will increase at a combined average growth rate of 5.3% over the next 5 years – bringing the total up from this year’s $2.1 trillion to $2.7 trillion in 2017.
Research director for Insight Research, Fran Caulfield, noted that the strong revenue growth is fueled “by consumer Internet usage and business mobility solutions” which, despite the current economic uncertainty, are enabling new applications. Caulfield went on to say that, “the fact remains that telecommunications is a key factor in economic growth. Telecommunications facilitates socio-economic advancement and is a critical utility for economic development, much like water and energy.”
