The three pillars of connectivity, mobility and productivity are driving the uptake of mobile telecommunications as the use of fixed lines levels off, AMTA Chief Executive Officer, Chris Althaus, told the Sydney Morning Herald.

The SMH wanted to know about the trend of mobile phones being used as a substitute for fixed lines.

Mr Althaus said the relationship between mobiles and fixed lines had been changing with, for instance, many young people in shared accommodation using mobiles only to the exclusion of fixed line.

He said the key to the rise and rise of mobile telecommunications was the so-called three pillars: productivity, connectivity and mobility.

“Mobiles are moving into the new status of our personal epicentre – a sort of personal management system with the multi-functionality,” he said. “Whereas, the fixed line is very efficient and what it does by way of communication, but that is the beginning and end of the issue.”

Mr Althaus said one of the emerging key drivers of mobile technology was data usage.

Mobile telecommunications was promoting strong growth in the telecommunications industry and competition and technological change have delivered lower prices, most notably in the mobile sector, he said.

“On the productivity front, mobile telecommunications is a key enabler and many businesses could not operate as efficiently today without access to this technology,” Mr Althaus said.

“There are many examples of small business, employing five or six people, which can save themselves $40-50,000 a year in costs by using mobile telecommunications.

“The mobile industry is a significant - and growing - contributor to Australia’s productivity and its economy. It is a key plank in enabling Australians to participate in the digital economy.

“As the government has identified, access to broadband is critical if Australian businesses and individuals are to reap the full benefits of participation in the global digital economy. The geographic and demographic conditions in Australia dictate that wireless broadband service is even more important here than in many otherwise comparable nations.

“Given future demand projections, there is a critical need to address future mobile growth trends from an infrastructure perspective. Radiofrequency spectrum is fundamental infrastructure for the provision of mobile telecommunication services. Without it, mobile service is not possible.”

Mr Althaus said although mobile phones were not immune from economic slowdowns, AMTA’s shipment figures showed that they had been resilient over the past 12 months.

Mobile phone shipments have risen for the fourth time in five months with just over nine million mobiles shipped in the past year and the rolling annual total hitting a nine-month high, CommSec said recently in an economic analysis using AMTA’s shipment figures.

Mr Althaus said: “People are voting with their discretionary dollars that mobile telecommunications are part and parcel of their everyday lives.”