Long Term Evolution is the next generation of mobile service, globally. But that doesn’t mean it will be the most important contributor to service provider revenue in 2015. That role actually still will be filled mostly by 3G services, according to Wireless Intelligence.
WCDMA HSPA connections, for example, reached an installed base of 500 million during June, making it the fastest-growing cellular technology ever. HSPA now accounts for 47 percent of all mobile broadband technology connections, some 5.5 billion.
Smart phone sales account for the demand. Deutsche Telekom says 43 percent of all devices sold in Europe were smartphones (it was 21 percent in 2010). For France Telecom, 58 percent of contract gross additions in France and Spain are smart phones, double what they were a year ago.
Vodafone said 50 percent of shipments in Europe are smart phones. AT&T says 46 percent of all contract subscribers are using smart phones, while 32 percent of Verizon subscribers use smart phones. At T-Mobile USA, 75 percent of all device sales in the most recent quarter came from smart phones.
