April 2009 GSM/3G Market Update from GSA now available

A new GSM/3G Market Update has been published by GSA, the Global mobile Suppliers Association (www.gsacom.com), containing latest industry facts, information, analysis and trends regarding GSM/EDGE, WCDMA-HSPA, UMTS900 and UMTS850, HSPA+, LTE, mobile broadband regulatory and spectrum developments, re-farming of current allocations, Digital Dividend spectrum for mobile services, and mobile subscriptions growth.

GSA surveys and primary research are referenced extensively. The GSA April 2009 GSM/3G Market Update is available to download now at www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/market_update.php4

Key Facts from the April 2009 GSM/3G Market Update:

Network commitments, deployments, launches

3G/WCDMA: 275 operators launched in 116 countries
Over 94.1% of commercial WCDMA operators have launched HSPA
286 HSPA operator commitments in 121 countries
259 3G/HSDPA operators launched in 111 countries
120 HSDPA networks launched in Europe including in all 27 Member States of the European Union
185 HSDPA networks have launched 3.6 Mbps (peak) downlink service or higher = over 71% of commercial HSDPA operators, thus establishing the baseline for mobile broadband services
96 commercial HSDPA networks, i.e over 37%, support 7.2 Mbps (peak)
8 commercial UMTS900 (i.e. WCDMA-HSPA operating at 900 MHz) networks launched, in Europe, APAC and Latin America
2 HSPA+ networks have launched commercial service (21 Mbps downlink peak)
19 HSPA+ operator commitments worldwide
26 LTE operator commitments worldwide
10 LTE networks are expected to enter commercial service in 2010
441 GSM/EDGE network commitments in 184 countries; 413 networks launched in 177 countries
Over 80% of commercial GPRS operators globally have committed to EDGE

User Devices

1,409 HSDPA devices launched by 169 suppliers
897 devices support 3.6 Mbps peak or higher (excluding notebooks)
492 devices support 7.2 Mbps peak or higher (excluding notebooks)
71 HSUPA networks launched in 42 countries, plus another 13 network commitments/deployments
242 HSUPA devices launched (compared to 66 in April 2008) (excl. notebooks)
1,034 HSPA devices (over 93%) operate in 2100 MHz band (excl. notebooks)
483 HSPA devices (44%) operate in 850 MHz band (excl. notebooks)
348 tri-band HSPA devices 850/1900/2100 MHz (excl. notebooks)
115 HSPA devices operate in 900 MHz band (UMTS900) (excl. notebooks)
335 HSPA devices (excluding notebooks) incorporate 802.11 WiFi
271 HSPA devices incorporate GPS/positioning functionality (compared to 20 in October 2007) (excl. notebooks)
161 of 259 commercially launched HSDPA operators (over 62%) have also launched EDGE
Over 83% of HSDPA devices also support GSM/EDGE (GSA survey, March 10, 2009) (excl. notebooks)
Over 1.83 billion GSM, WCDMA and HSPA subscriptions in commercial HSPA-enabled networks worldwide

Subscriptions

3.54 billion GSM, WCDMA-HSPA subscriptions (Q4 08)
GSM/WCDMA has 89.5% worldwide market share (Q4 08)
287 million WCDMA subs including HSPA worldwide (Q4 08)
102.3 million WCDMA subscriptions added in 2008, for over 55.4% annual growth
Over 82.8 million HSPA subscriptions (Q3 08) included in the WCDMA subs total
WCDMA has over 71.8% market share of global 3G subscriptions
APAC has over 1.494 billion GSM, WCDMA-HSPA subscriptions (Q4 08)
The BRIC countries – Brazil, Russia, India, and China together account for over 1.168 billion GSM Subscriptions (Q4 08)
India has over 254 million GSM subscriptions, 79.2% market share (Q4 08)
China and India have a combined total of 845.8 million GSM subs (Q4 08)
Western Europe has 565 million GSM, WCDMA-HSPA subscriptions (Q4 08)
The Americas i.e. North America, Central, Latin America and Caribbean
Africa has 365 million GSM subscribers (Q4 08)

The GSA April 2009 GSM/3G Market Update is available at www.gsacom.com/gsm_3g/market_update.php4

Related maps and charts are also available at www.gsacom.com/news/statistics.php4

NOTES

1. GSA surveys and primary research are referenced extensively. 2. Mobile subscriptions data is provided by Informa Telecoms & Media

ABOUT GSA

GSA represents leading GSM/3G/WCDMA-HSPA/LTE suppliers worldwide, covering close to 100% of mobile market share. GSA delivers authoritative facts, market intelligence, objective analysis and information. 56,704 professionals from 198 countries used www.gsacom.com in 2008. Interaction and enhanced information-sharing with fixed and mobile operators is facilitated by seminars and relationship events, including the GSA Mobile Broadband Forum, and via the Operators Zone for immediate global reach. GSA advises governments, regulators and policy-makers on optimum conditions for market development. Briefings are given to media and analysts. GSA is a 3GPP Market Representation Partner and co-operates with other key organisations worldwide.

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