According to a new report published by GSMA on Tuesday, the number of 4G connections in the world is expected to hit the 1 billion mark probably by 2017, with 465 commercial LTE networks in service within the same time frame.
Study conducted by GSMA found that people are shifting to 4G at a much faster rate than they shifted to 3G when it was launched. 4G users are using 1.5GB per month on an average, which is almost double that of 3G. Handset subsidies might have proved to be a major factor in consumers opting for 4G contracts but added pricing factor was more innovative than in recent years.
The report predicts that around 176 million people will be on a 4G network by the end of this year. Further the report also claims that LTE network’s coverage, which is at present 20 percent of the world’s population, will grow to 50 percent of people by 2017.
Spectrum allocations, availability of affordable devices and innovative tariff plans designed to encourage adoption are the various factors behind LTE growth, said Hyunmi Yang, GSMA chief strategy officer.
According to the report, U.S. accounts for 46 percent of global LTE connections today, with around 90 percent of its total population already under LTE network coverage with Japan and South Korea accounting for 80 percent of the global LTE connections. At present Asia accounts for only 10 percent LTE network coverage; however the research report predicts the continent to claim 47 percent of global LTE connections by 2017.
