3G wireless broadband "fastest growing mobile technology ever"

Stuart Corner
Wednesday, 22 July 2009 07:42

IT Industry - Strategy

Global HSPA (3G wireless broadband) connections will pass the 150 million mark by the end of September and 200 million by the end of Q1 2010, according to the GSM Association.

"With more than 300 networks across 127 countries and approaching 1500 HSPA enabled devices readily available, HSPA has firmly established itself as the world's dominant mobile broadband technology and the fastest adopted mobile technology of all time," it claimed.

According to Wireless Intelligence (the Association's database on the global mobile market) AsiaPac accounts for almost 50 million live HSPA connections today and will have over 56 million by this September. EMEA will have almost 60 million by the end of September and the US will have about 37 million services in operation at that time.

While the bulk of these services to date are providing data connections from personal computing and communications devices, the GSM Association says "The consumer electronics, automotive, energy and utility industries are beginning to understand the possibilities of embedding mobile broadband into their products.

To exploit this market, Vodafone Group has just announced a global machine to machine (M2M) service platform to help companies deploy and manage large, wireless M2M projects. And last month Orange Business Services opened an International M2M centre based in Brussels within its Mobistar cellular network operator and devoted to machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity solutions for international companies. It said the move signalled its intention "to be amongst the world leaders in the M2M field."