Over the past year some 154 manufacturers have announced 1,563 LTE-enabled user devices including operator and frequency variants, according to a latest update from the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA). This means that 742 new LTE user devices were launched in the past year, representing 90 per cent annual growth. The number of manufacturers increased by 58 per cent in the same period. Smartphones dominate as the largest device category and increased their share to over 40 per cent of all LTE device types. The numbers of LTE-connected personal hotspots (MiFi) and tablets are also rapidly expanding, the GSA added. Meanwhile 1800 MHz (3GPP band 3) is the most widely used spectrum band by LTE operators in most regions. According to the GSA, 43 per cent of LTE networks use 1800 MHz, either as a single band, or as part of a multi-band deployment. The 1800 MHz band is now also the best supported frequency for LTE user devices: 589 LTE 1800 user devices have been announced, representing annual growth of 152 per cent. Report