Wireless mobile future determined by LTE

USA: As wireless mobile networks continue to grow and become more robust, the path to Long Term Evolution (LTE) remains certain with operators deploying the technology the first half of this next decade, a new Visant Strategies report finds.

“LTE for many operators, if not almost all operators, is the 4G end goal for upgrading wireless networks,” said report author Andy Fuertes of Visant Strategies.

“In the most established markets carriers are systematically deploying upgrades to HSPA or CDMA2000 and awaiting the commercial arrival of LTE, which will begin to be strongly deployed within three to five years.

“Despite announced deployment roll backs of LTE due to recent economy woes there really is no fragmentation when it comes to 4G,” Fuertes added.

“All operators, except for the comparatively few that will migrate to mobile WiMAX, will use LTE to create an OFDM-based 4G wireless network, creating unprecedented economies of scale for LTE handsets and infrastructure.”

According to the findings in “Long Term Evolution 2009: The World Role of LTE in Mobile Wireless Networks through 2015,” LTE macro base stations will account for roughly 10 percent of total deployed macro base stations by year-end 2015, with the bulk of the LTE shipments occurring between 2012 and 2015. Also, over 60 million LTE femtocells will be shipped in 2015, with the Asia-Pacific market accounting for a good percentage of these shipments.

“LTE really is the Hollywood ending to real 4G,” said Larry Swasey of Visant Strategies. “While there will be a continued use of GSM and EDGE Evolution in lower-tier mobile markets and WCDMA and CDMA EV-DO throughout the world, when it comes to real 4G, LTE will eventually account for over 90 percent of global subscribers.”

The study evaluates LTE-based services, devices, selling points and infrastructure on a world-by-region basis through 2015. Annual world and regional shipments for LTE handsets, base stations and femtocells are given as are LTE subscribers, revenues, average revenue per unit, handset ASPs and LTE femtocell subscribers and revenues.