Pyramid Research said 4G networks that use Long Term Evolution (LTE) will support more than 100 million subscribers in four years, thanks to widespread vendor and operator support.
That means 4G will grow at a faster rate than 3G has. It took six years for 3G networks to hit the 100-million subscriber milestone.
One major factor that will contribute to the aggressive growth rate will be cost. While LTE networks will cost billions, the IP-based architecture of the network backbone is expected to require fewer components, which will lower the overall network costs. In addition, LTE networks have a theoretical limit of 100 Mbps, leading new services such as high-definition video streaming.
Most of the world's major operators have committed to LTE, with Verizon Wireless expected to be the first to launch. It is slated to introduce LTE in two markets in 2009 and then 25 to 30 markets by the end of 2010.
For more:
- see InformationWeek
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