The Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) has published its latest GSM/3G Market Update, referencing its most recent surveys and primary research.
The number of GSM, WCDMA-HSPA subscriptions is closing in on 4 billion worldwide, achieving another historic milestone for the mobile industry, and mobile broadband enabled by HSPA is continuing as a major trend.
KEY FACTS from the August 2009 GSM/3G Market Update include:
Network commitments, deployments, launches (from GSA surveys)
User Devices (from GSA surveys)
Subscriptions - Q2 09 (this data provided by Informa Telecoms & Media)
The number of GSM, WCDMA-HSPA subscriptions is closing in on 4 billion worldwide, achieving another historic milestone for the mobile industry, and mobile broadband enabled by HSPA is continuing as a major trend.
KEY FACTS from the August 2009 GSM/3G Market Update include:
Network commitments, deployments, launches (from GSA surveys)
- 3G/WCDMA: 290 operators launched in 120 countries
- WCDMA has more than 72.8% market share of 390 commercially launched 3G networks
- More than 94% of commercial WCDMA operators have launched HSPA
- 316 HSPA network commitments in 129 countries
- 274 HSDPA operators launched in 115 countries
- 213 HSDPA networks (over 77%) have launched 3.6 Mbps (peak) downlink service or higher
- 135 commercial HSDPA networks (around 50%) support 7.2 Mbps (peak) or higher, establishing 7.2 Mbps as the industry baseline for mobile broadband
- 87 HSUPA networks launched in 45 countries, plus another 11 network commitments/deployments
- 10 commercial UMTS900 (i.e. WCDMA-HSPA operating at 900 MHz) networks launched, in Europe, APAC and Latin America
- 14 HSPA+ networks commercially launched (13 support 21 Mbps peak downlink, 1 supports 28 Mbps peak downlink)
- At least 30 additional HSPA+ operator commitments/deployments worldwide
- 31 LTE network operator commitments worldwide
- Up to 12 LTE networks are expected to enter commercial service by end 2010
- 478 GSM/EDGE network commitments in 189 countries; 443 GSM/EDGE networks launched in 181 countries
- Over 80% of commercial GPRS operators globally have committed to EDGE
- Over 68% of HSPA operators also committed to EDGE
User Devices (from GSA surveys)
- 1,605 HSDPA devices launched by 183 suppliers
- 1,065 devices support 3.6 Mbps peak or higher (excluding notebooks)
- 595 devices (over 46%) support 7.2 Mbps peak or higher (excluding notebooks) and have entered the mainstream
- 305 HSUPA devices launched (excl. notebooks) and 4 times as many as a year ago
- 1,186 HSPA devices (over 93%) operate in 2100 MHz band (excl. notebooks)
- 569 HSPA devices (over 44%) operate in 850 MHz band (excl. notebooks)
- 414 tri-band HSPA devices 850/1900/2100 MHz (excl. notebooks)
- 155 HSPA devices operate in 900 MHz band (UMTS900) (excl. notebooks)
- 397 HSPA phones (including smartphones) incorporate 802.11 WiFi
- 345 HSPA phones (including smartphones) incorporate GPS/positioning functionality
- Over 83% of HSDPA devices also support GSM/EDGE
Subscriptions - Q2 09 (this data provided by Informa Telecoms & Media)
- 3.856 billion GSM, WCDMA-HSPA subscriptions, and approaching 90% global mobile market share
- Over 379 million WCDMA subs including HSPA worldwide
- 140 million HSPA subscriptions (Q1 09) included in the WCDMA subs total
- BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India, and China together account for 1.31 billion GSM subscriptions