3Q2014: 39% of Worldwide LTE Connections in North America

BELLEVUE, WA--(Marketwired - December 04, 2014) - 4G Americas reports that the North American market remains in the leadership position of LTE market share worldwide with 39 percent of the world's 373 million LTE connections at the end of September 2014. LTE connections in North America have grown to 145 million subscriptions, representing 36 percent of the 398 million total mobile subscriptions in the region at the end of the third quarter of 2014, according to Informa Telecoms & Media research. 

Latin America continues its growth of HSPA and LTE mobile broadband reaching a 35 percent market share of all mobile connections in the region.

LTE and HSPA in North America

"LTE adoption in North America continues to set the course for further growth in mobile broadband innovation with operators continuing to evolve their networks," stated Chris Pearson, President of 4G Americas. "It is evident that customers continue to be responsive to LTE's technology advancements and increased capabilities with more than 65 million added LTE connections in the past twelve months."

LTE has taken an increasingly larger share of the mobile broadband marketplace in North America. HSPA and HSPA+ now hold a 27 percent market share bringing the combined market share for LTE and HSPA mobile broadband in the region to 63 percent.

• 66 commercial LTE networks deployed in U.S. and Canada
• 145 million LTE connections as of September 2014 for net gain of 66 million new LTE customers the last 12 months
• 106 million HSPA connections
• 251 million HSPA and LTE mobile broadband connections or 63 percent market share

LTE and HSPA in Latin America and the Caribbean

Jose Otero, Director of Latin America and the Caribbean at 4G Americas, stated, "Recent spectrum allocation processes directed at the deployment of mobile broadband technologies throughout the Latin America region have contributed to an increasing number of operators launching LTE." He added, "We expect mobile broadband adoption to accelerate during 2015 as subscribers continue migrating towards HSPA and LTE networks. Increased geographic coverage of these technologies and lower cost devices will continue to arrive in the region."

In Latin America, the combined LTE and HSPA mobile broadband market share has risen to 35 percent with 251 million connections of the total 717 million mobile connections. There is a noticeable shift to mobile broadband technology as GSM continues to decline with 449 million total subscriptions according to Informa Telecoms & Media. Latin America gained 77 million new HSPA and HSPA+ connections year-over-year.

• 51 commercial LTE networks in 21 countries; increased from 31 LTE networks 12 months ago
• 6.2 million LTE connections as of September 2014; growth of over 500 percent during the past 12 months
• 77 commercial HSPA and HSPA+ networks
• 245 million HSPA connections; 77 million added year-over-year; 15 million added 3Q14

LTE and LTE-Advanced Global

"LTE now represents 18 percent of all HSPA and LTE subscriptions worldwide as of September 2014 -- this is up from 10 percent just a year ago," said Kristin Paulin, Senior Analyst at Ovum. "LTE itself accounts for 5 percent of all mobile subscriptions worldwide as of September 2014 after having added 167 million new LTE subscriptions year-to-date."

• 360 commercial LTE networks today; 386 commercial LTE networks expected by the end of 2014
• Over 400 total commitments to LTE deployment by wireless operators to date
• 206 million LTE connections at the end of 2013; 373 million as of September 2014
• LTE connections are forecast to reach 2.3 billion by 2019
• 31 LTE-Advanced commercial networks (Dec 4, 2014) in 22 countries 

4G Americas maintains a current list of LTE and LTE-Advanced Global Deployments on its website. For more information and to view a variety of statistical charts on the 3GPP family of technologies, visit www.4gamericas.org. All subscriber and forecast data is from Ovum's Informa Telecoms & Media World Cellular Information Service (WCIS+).

About 4G Americas: Unifying the Americas through Mobile Broadband Technology
4G Americas is an industry trade organization composed of leading telecommunications service providers and manufacturers. The organization's mission is to advocate for and foster the advancement and full capabilities of the 3GPP family of mobile broadband technologies, including LTE-Advanced, throughout the ecosystem's networks, services, applications and wirelessly connected devices in the Americas. 4G Americas contributes to the success of 3GPP technologies and their No. 1 place in the region. 4G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash. More information is available at www.4gamericas.org or www.facebook.com/4gamericas and www.twitter.com/4gamericas.

4G Americas' Board of Governors members include: Alcatel-Lucent, América Móvil, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, Cisco, CommScope, Entel, Ericsson, HP, Intel, Mavenir, Nokia, Openwave Mobility, Qualcomm, Rogers, Sprint, T-Mobile USA and Telefónica.