BELLEVUE, WA -- (Marketwire) -- 12/05/12 -- LTE connections in North America rocketed to 22.3 million -- adding almost 19 million subscriptions in 12 months and representing 51 percent of all 43.7 million LTE connections worldwide at the end of the third quarter of 2012, reported 4G Americas, according to data from Informa Telecoms & Media. Another "billion" milestone is expected by the end of 2012, with all 3GPP technologies, including GSM, HSPA and LTE, comprising a massive subscription base of 6 billion and more than 90 percent of the global cellular connections.

"The 2012 year in wireless is definitely all about LTE," stated Chris Pearson, President of 4G Americas. "At the third quarter of last year, there were 4.5 million LTE connections and 36 LTE deployments worldwide. We expect about 130 commercial LTE networks by the end of this year, the ramping up of subscriptions and many new devices in the offering with the holiday season approaching."

Aggressive deployments of LTE networks continue on a global basis, with 128 commercial LTE networks in 58 countries to date, and subscriptions at the end of the third quarter 2012 at 43.7 million. While HSPA and HSPA+ will remain the leading mobile broadband technology for the next decade, LTE is clearly the growth phenomenon. Informa expects that LTE subscriptions will surpass 1 billion in the year 2018.

The following global statistics were reported at the end of the 3Q 2012:

• 6.4 billion total cellular connections
• 5.8 billion 3GPP subscriptions (90 percent market share)
• 1 billion HSPA-LTE mobile broadband subscriptions
• 478 commercial HSPA networks in 181 countries
• 242 HSPA+ networks in 119 countries
• 43.7 million LTE subscriptions
• 128 commercial LTE networks in 58 countries (December 5, 2012)

Following are key regional statistics for the 3GPP family of technologies at the end of 3Q 2012:

Western Hemisphere - All Americas

• 828 million 3GPP subscriptions; nearly 80 percent market share
• 220 million HSPA mobile broadband subscriptions; quarterly addition of 10 million subscribers
• 242 million HSPA-LTE subscriptions; annual addition (12 months) of 79 million subscriptions for 48 percent annual growth

North America - U.S. and Canada

• 180.7 million 3GPP subscriptions; 49 percent market share
• 139 million HSPA-LTE mobile broadband subscriptions; annual addition of 40 million connections
• T-Mobile USA deployment of HSPA+ dual carrier at 42 Mbps (peak theoretical)
• No. 1 in LTE subscriptions worldwide: 22.3 million LTE connections; quarterly addition of 6.9 million LTE connections
• LTE connections are expected to surpass HSPA connections in 2016
• 19 commercial LTE networks launched to date, including Bell Mobility and Rogers Wireless in Canada and AT&T, MetroPCS, Sprint and Verizon with affiliates in the U.S.
• 200+ million LTE connections forecast by 2017 (Informa Telecoms & Media)

Latin America and Caribbean

• 647 million 3GPP subscriptions; 96 percent market share; annual addition of 64 million connections; quarterly addition of 15 million subscriptions
• 103 million HSPA connections; annual addition of 38.6 million subscriptions; quarterly addition of 7 million subscriptions
• 46 commercial HSPA+ networks in 26 countries to date
• 38 operators in 15 countries have committed to LTE deployment
• 8 commercial LTE networks launched to date; in Brazil (Sky Telecom), Colombia (UNE), Mexico (Telcel), Dominican Republic (Orange), Puerto Rico (AT&T, Claro, Open Mobile) and Uruguay (Antel)

Statistical Charts
For more information and to view a variety of statistical charts on the 3GPP family of technologies, visit www.4gamericas.org.

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 promote, facilitate and advocate for the deployment and adoption of the 3GPP family of technologies throughout the Americas. 4G Americas contributes to the successful commercial rollout of 3GPP mobile broadband technologies across the Americas and their place as the No. 1 technology family in the region. The organization aims to develop the expansive wireless ecosystem of networks, devices, and applications enabled by GSM and its evolution to LTE. 4G Americas is headquartered in Bellevue, Wash., with an office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Dallas. More information is available at www.4gamericas.org.

4G Americas' Board of Governors members include: Alcatel-Lucent, América Móvil, AT&T, Cable & Wireless, CommScope, Entel, Ericsson, Gemalto, HP, Huawei, Nokia Siemens Networks, Openwave Mobility, Powerwave, Qualcomm, Research In Motion (RIM), Rogers, T-Mobile USA and Telefónica.

About Informa Telecoms & Media
Informa Telecoms & Media (ITM; www.informatm.com) conducts primary and secondary research on the latest trends impacting the mobile communications, fixed communications and TV sectors, on a global basis. ITM's market intelligence services -- World Cellular Information Service (WCIS), World Broadband Information Service (WBIS) and the Intelligence Centre -- give clients access to market forecasts and key performance indicators (KPIs), as well as detailed analysis and exploration of trends. These comprehensive and reliable data sources combined with access to a team of dedicated analysts provide clients with essential business tools to assist in their strategic and tactical decision making processes. ITM also organizes over 100 annual events bringing together the industry's leading decision makers.

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