Page 36 - Mobile World Daily - Day 2

ANALYSIS | NETWORK COVERAGE

Andrey Voltornist,
Analyst, GSMA Intelligence
www.gsmaintelligence.com

Mobile broadband
reach expanding
globally

3G networks are now ubiquitous in notably the timely allocation and assignment Mobile broadband coverage reach, global, 2009-2020
many markets and 4G networks are of required 3G/4G spectrum in each country,
being deployed at an even faster rate as well as macro-economic conditions that Source: GSMA Intelligence
can influence investment decisions.
New research from GSMA Intelligence 3 (Hutchinson) in the United Kingdom, Italy, over 80 per cent of the population in
predicts that more than four out of 3G NETWORK ACCESS IS BECOMING Sweden, Denmark and Austria in 2003. By the December 2014, while in developing
five people worldwide will have UBIQUITOUS end of 2005, 66 operators had commercially economies 4G coverage stands at just above
access to 3G networks by 2020 (up from 70 launched 3G networks, providing coverage to 10 per cent of the region’s population. It is
per cent today), while 4G networks will cover To date, 649 operators have commercially over 40 per cent of the EU population. In expected that deployments across countries
over 60 per cent of the global population by launched 3G networks across 217 countries, early 2009, three out of four people living in in Latin America and Asia Pacific will drive
this point (up from 25 per cent today). More covering over 70 per cent of the global the region had access to 3G services with 97 global 4G coverage over the next five years.
consumers worldwide have access to mobile population. In developed economies, 3G per cent of all operators in the region offering
broadband networks that support download coverage surpassed 95 per cent of the 3G networks and services. The early allocation of spectrum in the
speeds that have been continuously population in 2011, against almost two thirds Digital Dividend band (700 MHz) and
increasing since the launch of the first of population in developing economies in 4G NETWORK COVERAGE EXPANSION programmes to expand coverage in rural
3G/WCDMA network in 2001 and the first 2014. It is important to note that the IS ACCELERATING areas helped to position the US as one of the
4G/LTE network in 2009. deployment of mobile broadband networks in most advanced 4G markets in the developed
countries with large population sizes influence There are currently 335 mobile operators that world. The FCC assigned LTE spectrum in
This data measures mobile broadband coverage results at regional and global levels. have commercially launched LTE networks 700 MHz in 2008, which allowed operators to
network coverage as a share of population for 3G networks were only launched in late across 118 countries worldwide. The number deploy base stations early and commercially
each country worldwide where 3G and 4G 2007–early 2009 in countries such as of operators is forecast to almost double over launch LTE services having reached initial
networks have been commercially launched, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, India, Nigeria, the next three years to reach close to 600 high coverage rates – notably with Verizon
including forecasts to 2020. The data notably Pakistan and Russia — where almost 50 per operators in 156 countries. In developed Wireless covering 35 per cent of the US
shows that 4G networks are rolled out at a cent of the global population is located. economies, 4G coverage has already reached population at launch in Q4 2010.
faster pace than 3G networks; while it took
ten years for 3G network coverage to reach In Asia Pacific, 3G coverage will increase
half of the global population, it will take 4G by approximately 20 percentage points
networks eight years after launch to reach the between 2014-18 to reach 90 per cent of the
same milestone - therefore reaching this level region’s population. Meanwhile, 3G networks
in 2017. Several factors impact the currently cover 97 per cent of the population
deployment of mobile broadband networks, in the European Union. This region witnessed
a wave of 3G deployments since the launch of

ABOUT GSMA INTELLIGENCE

GSMA Intelligence is the definitive source of global mobile operator data,
analysis and forecasts; and a publisher of authoritative industry reports
and research. Our data covers every operator group, network and MVNO
in every country worldwide – from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe. It is the
most accurate and complete set of industry metrics available, comprising
tens of millions of individual data points, updated daily.
GSMA Intelligence is relied on by leading operators, vendors, regulators,
financial institutions and third-party industry players, to support strategic
decision-making and long-term investment planning. The data is used as
an industry reference point and is frequently cited by the media and by
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