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Wireless Telecommunications Services in the UK - Market Size, Industry Analysis, Trends and Forecasts (2025-2029)

Kayleigh Murray Kayleigh Murray London, United Kingdom Last Updated: May 2025 SIC UK-J612

Revenue

£191.7bn

2025-26

£197.0bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

£XX.Xbn

Employees

446k

Businesses

9,850

Wages

£XX.Xbn

Wireless Telecommunications Services in the UK industry analysis

The Wireless Telecommunications Services industry is undergoing a period of intense competition and falling prices, which is pulling down revenue, even as services and offerings are rapidly improving. Revenue is forecast to slump at a compound annual rate of 1.8% over the five years through 2025 to €191.7 billion. Although demand from both consumers and businesses for wireless services is on the rise, hefty competition between carriers and increasingly stringent regulations have put pressure on revenue, contributing to the decline.

Trends and Insights

  • The use of mobile data has become more popular. Customers are shifting away from traditional services, like SMS and MMS messaging, in favour of using data to use alternative messaging services.
  • The rising popularity of apps reduces demand for traditional services. More customers are using apps like WhatsApp to make calls and texts, aiding demand for data services.
  • Larger carriers leverage economies of scale. Running large-scale operations is beneficial, helping carriers expand their portfolios, develop infrastructure and consolidate their business.
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Top Questions Answered in this Report

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What is the market size of the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

The market size of the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom is £191.7bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom in 2025?

There are 9,850 businesses in the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom, which has grown at a CAGR of 0.1 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom has been declining at a CAGR of 0.7 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom is expected to grow.

What does the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom include?

Calls and messaging services and Data services are part of the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom.

How competitive is the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom?

The level of competition is high and steady in the Wireless Telecommunications Services industry in the United Kingdom.

Everything you need in one report

  • Reliable market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Competitive analysis, industry segmentation, financial benchmarks
  • Powerful SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces and risk management frameworks
  • Online membership platform with PDF, Word, Excel and PPT exports

Table of Contents

External Environment

Highlights

Trends
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key Takeaways

Regulators impose price controls. Price controls aimed at supporting competition have eaten into revenue generated from wholesaling services.

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External Drivers

Analysis

What demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the Wireless Telecommunications Services in the UK industry?

Financial Benchmarks

Highlights

Trends
  • Profit Margin
  • Average Wage
  • Largest Cost

Key Takeaways

Significant competition restricts profitability. An influx of mobile virtual network operators has raised the level of price competition and weighed on profitability.

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Cost Structure

Charts
  • Share of Economy vs. Investment Matrix
  • Industry Cost Structure Benchmarks:
    • Marketing
    • Depreciation
    • Profit
    • Purchases
    • Wages
    • Rent
    • Utilities
    • Other
Analysis

What trends impact cost in the Wireless Telecommunications Services in the UK industry?


Key Ratios

Data tables
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)

Country Benchmarks

European Leaders & Laggards

Data Tables

Top and bottom five countries listed for each:

  • Revenue Growth (2025)
  • Business Growth (2025)
  • Job Growth (2025)

European Country Performance

Data Tables

Rankings available for 37 countries. Statistics ranked include:

  • IVA/Revenue (2025)
  • Imports/Demand (2025)
  • Exports/Revenue (2025)
  • Revenue per Employee (2025)
  • Wages/Revenue (2025)
  • Employees per Establishment (2025)
  • Average Wage (2025)

Structural Comparison

Data Tables

Trends in 37 countries benchmarked against trends in Europe

  • Concentration
  • Competition
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Buyer Power
  • Supplier Power
  • Volatility
  • Capital Intensity
  • Innovation
  • Life Cycle

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Methodology

Where does IBISWorld source its data?

IBISWorld is a world-leading provider of business information, with reports on 5,000+ industries in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Europe and China. Our expert industry analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build an accurate picture of each industry.

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and IBISWorld's proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights. 

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