LTE Share 33% of All Mobile Connections in the U.S. and Canada Vs. 4% Worldwide

4 G Americas reports that in North America with 127 million LTE connections, LTE technology represented 33 percent of the total 391 million mobile connections in the region the largest market share for LTE compared to any country or region in the world at the second quarter of 2014 based on Ovum research.

On a global scale, there were 280 million LTE subscriptions representing 4 percent of the world's 7 billion mobile connections. North America currently has 45 percent of all LTE connections worldwide, compared to Asia Pacific with 36 percent and Western Europe with more than 13 percent.

North America

With 127 million LTE connections, of which 15 million LTE connections were added in the second quarter alone, North America leads the world's regions in the number of connections, market share and penetration of LTE, with a 33 percent market share of all 391 million mobile connections.

"Innovations in regulatory policy, new advanced LTE networks with leading technology and smartphone penetration of 66 percent have resulted in a tremendous confluence of subscriber demand for mobile broadband data applications and services in the U.S and Canada," stated Chris Pearson, President of 4G Americas. "The benefits of the 3GPP technologies in the North American region have provided not only leadership for our region in the mobile economy, but significant opportunities in the convergence with computing for the Internet of Things."

The North American market remains in the leadership position of LTE market share worldwide with 45 percent of the world's 280 million LTE connections at the end of June 2014 and 49 commercial LTE networks. The North American penetration rate for LTE is significantly higher than the rest of the world, with almost 36 percent LTE penetration of the population compared to the next leading world regional market of Western Europe at nearly 8 percent and Asia Pacific with nearly 3 percent LTE penetration. All other world regions have an LTE penetration rate at or below 1 percent.

• 49 commercial LTE networks deployed in U.S. and Canada
• 16 million LTE connections at the end of June 2012; 63 million LTE connections as of June 2013; 127 million LTE connections as of June 2014 representing 45 percent of global LTE market
• 108 million HSPA connections
• HSPA and LTE mobile broadband market share in North America at 60 percent
• Overall annual mobile connections growth of 5 percent in North America
• Forecast 139 million LTE connections at year-end 2014; nearly 200 million LTE connections by year end 2016