Adverse economic conditions could cause network operators to postpone investments or initiate other cost-cutting initiatives to improve their financial position. This could result in significantly reduced expenditures for network infrastructure and services, in which case our operating results would suffer. We have established flexibility to cost-effectively accommodate fluctuations in demand. However, if demand were to fall in the future, we may experience material adverse effects on our revenues, cash flow, capital employed and value of our assets and we may even incur operating losses. If demand is significantly weaker or more volatile than expected, this may have a material adverse impact on our credit rating, borrowing opportunities
We depend on growth and the success of new services
Most of our business depends on continued growth in mobile communications in terms of both number of subscriptions and usage per subscriber, which in turn requires the continued deployment and evolution of our network systems by customers. If operators are not successful in their attempts to increase the number of subscribers and/or stimulate increased usage, our business and operational results could be materially adversely affected. Also, if operators experience a decline in ARPU or profitability despite the introduction of new non-voice services, their willingness for further investments will be reduced and thus adversely affect our business.
Fixed and mobile networks converge and new technologies, such as IP and broadband, enable operators to deliver a range of new types of services in both fixed and mobile networks. We are dependent upon the market acceptance of such services, e.g. music, internet and navigation in the handset, and on the outcome of regulatory and standardization activities in this field, such as spectrum allocation. If delays in standardization or market acceptance occur, this could adversely affect our business and operational results.
We operate in a highly competitive industry
The markets we