LTE connections reached 1.9 billion in 2016 and surpassed 2 billion connections by February of 2017, said 5G Americas quoting Ovum report.
The Ovum report said there will be 11 million 5G subscribers in 2021 — mainly dominated by North America.
North America region has 298 million LTE subscriptions in 2016 with the penetration rate of 83 percent, extensive coverage and largest market share for LTE in the world. In North America, LTE penetration is expected to pass 100 percent in 2018. LTE including M2M is forecast to reach 452 million in 2021.
LTE in North America is forecast to reach 3 billion connections in 2018, 4 billion connections in 2020 (Ovum) and 5 billion connections in 2022 (5G Americas).
LTE market share in Latin America and Caribbean grew from 7.7 to 17 percent in 2016, more than doubling in the region. LTE rose at 21 percent in one quarter alone (3Q 2016 to 4Q 2016) showing tremendous growth in three months.
699 million was the mobile wireless subscription in Latin America and Caribbean. Latin America and Caribbean had 119 million LTE connections. The Latin America and Caribbean region added 65 million LTE users in 12 months. LTE including M2M is forecast to reach 171 million in 2017 and 449 million in 2021 in America and Caribbean region.
“Worldwide, LTE subscriptions grew 74 percent from 2015 to 2016. By contrast, in the mature North America region, where LTE was an early leader, LTE subscriptions grew by a much smaller 26 percent as the market is more mature and LTE penetration higher,” said Kristin Paulin, senior analyst at Ovum.
The telecom industry added 818 million (+74 percent) new LTE subscriptions in 2016.
LTE connection including M2M is forecast to reach 4.7 billion in 2021. LTE global market share forecast to reach 53 percent by year end 2021.
There will be 11 million 5G connections in 2021 – nearly 44 percent of all global 5G connections – in North America.
Baburajan K
editor@telecomlead.com
