The on-line services business is forecast to grow 48% to $14,200m by 1996 after a 61.1% increase to over $9,600m between 1987 and 1991, according to the Online Services: 1992 Review, Trends and Forecast study, written by analyst Chris Elwell and published by Simba Information Inc of Wilton, Connecticut. It reckons there were 5.4m on-line service subscribers at the end of 1991, and leading services achieved a 6.7% increase in turnover in 1991 compared with 1990. Real-time on-line services made up half of the industry’s 1991 sales, Simba reckons. Business-oriented on-line services accounted for 96% of 1991 sales with end-user and consumer services were the fastest growing segment, although they were still only 4% of the total but growth of 145% is seen over the next five years.
