U.K.-based research firm Analysys Mason estimates there will be 2.1 billion wireless broadband customers generating $784 billion in revenue by 2015. Analysys also says although WiMAX and LTE will be available, HSPA and HSPA+ will support at least 54 percent of all wireless broadband customers in 2015.
The firm says because HSPA and HSPA+ are the natural evolution path for GSM operators using W-CDMA, the number of HSPA and HSPA+ customers will increase from 61 million at the end of 2008 to 1.1 billion at the end of 2015. Meanwhile, Analysys says LTE will take off slowly but its customer base will reach 440 million by 2015, accounting for an estimated $194 billion in revenue.
Analysys isn't as bullish on WiMAX. The firm says it will fail to achieve a significant share of the development wireless broadband market, contributing only 2 percent of global revenue. In addition, the firm says by 2015 there will be 20 times as many customers using cellular broadband services as are using WiMAX.
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