Those who like their statistics XXL size should check out BuddeCom's 2008 Global Telecoms - Key Trends and Statistics report, which totes up cellphone, landline and broadband figures for the planet's 6.7 billion people.

Paul Budde's 2008 survey estimates the global situation as:

World population: 6.7 billion
Fixed lines: 1.3 billion
Mobile subscribers: 3.5 billion
Internet users: 1.2 billion
Fixed line broadband users: 380 million

Among the Aussie-based analyst's other findings:

- In 2008 the overall telecoms industry was valued at well over $3.5 trillion with steady growth ahead

- On a regional level, Western Europe still has the largest share of broadband subscribers worldwide.

- DSL is the most popular broadband access technology worldwide, equating for around a 66% market share.

- By the end of 2008 around 18% of the global population will be online. Growth in the developing countries is still hampered by poor telephone connections, but mobile applications will assist future growth.

- Developments in mobile communications cannot be described in any way other than being spectacular and by the end of 2008 there should be almost 4 billion mobile subscribers worldwide.

- In 2008 it is becoming apparent that WiMAX and LTE are emerging as the most likely candidates for Next Generation Mobile Networks (read more about local developments in those technologies here).

Budde's full report is available on the Paul Budde Communciations website.