LOS ANGELES, June 6(Xinhuanet)-- The number of wireless subscribers worldwide will grow to 2.3 billion by 2009, according to a forecast released by In-Stat on Monday.

Worldwide, wireless subscriber growth is experiencing robust expansion after several years of slower growth due to the economic downturn of the last few years, said In-Stat, a high-tech market research firm.

Releasing a report,"Worldwide Mobile Subscriber Forecasts- 3G Makes an Appearance," the market research firm said the total number of new subscribers in 2004-2009 is expected to be 777.7 million worldwide and nearly two-thirds of all new wireless users will be Asia.

"While China continues to lead the world in overall subscriber growth, the percentage growth leaders continue to be found in other parts of Asia, particularly the Southern Asia region that includes India," In-Stat said in a statement.

The study also found European subscriber growth will continue to slow and will stall in Scandinavia and Western Europe, while Japan's rapid transition to 3G will account for a great deal of the WCDMA growth in the short term. Enditem