According to the UN telecom agency, demand for cellular phones throughout the world remains firm in spite of the slump, with the number of individual mobile cellular subscriptions expected to reach 5 billion in 2010.

Advanced services and mobile phones in rich nations and augmented take-up of mobile banking and mobile health-care services in poorer countries is motivating the sustained demand.

Hamadoun Toure, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), stated, "Even during an economic crisis, we have seen no drop in the demand for communications services."

"I am confident that we will continue to see a rapid uptake in mobile cellular services in particular in 2010, with many more people using their phones to access the Internet," Toure added.

The number of mobile cellular subscriptions had already attained 4.6 billion mark by 2009 end, and the ITU said it anticipates enlargement to be firm across all counties.

Moreover, the agency also forecasted that, if existing expansion rates continue, within five years Web access by people on the move will beat Web access from desktop computers.

"Even the simplest, low-end mobile phone can do so much to improve health care in the developing world," said Dr. Toure.

In the growing world, the ITU noted, there are also hordes of people who have a cell phone subscription but no bank account and make use of their handsets for banking actions. (With Input from Agencies)