ISSUE 05 2014
NEWS
9
The company is accelerating network rollout in rural areas and on transport routes, as well doubling the footprint of its double speed network, meeting the growing demand for consistently fast speeds across the busiest areas of the UK.
Recent research from GSMA Intelligence indicated that the take-up of 4G services in China is likely to be at twice the rate of the earlier move to 3G
Asia Pacific continues to thrive
The Asia Pacific region now accounts for half of the world’s mobile subscribers and will remain one of the world’s fastest growing mobile markets through 2020 and beyond, according to the GSMA.
The Mobile Economy Asia Pacific 2014 report states there were 1.7 billion unique mobile subscribers in the Asia Pacific region at the end of 2013, accounting for half of the 3.4 billion global subscriber base. The number of Asia Pacific subscribers is expected to grow by 5.5 per cent a year (CAGR) until 2020, reaching 2.4 billion. Only Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to grow at a faster rate during the period. Total mobile connections in Asia Pacific stood at 3.4 billion at the end of 2013 and are forecast to increase to 4.8 billion by 2020.
“Asia Pacific is at the forefront of mobile subscriber growth and service innovation, reflecting its position as home to a diverse range of markets
and people,” said Anne Bouverot, director general of the GSMA. “Innovation in the region is happening at many levels, from leading the way in advanced super-fast mobile services in mature markets to providing essential services such as education, healthcare and banking in the developing world. In every case, mobile operator investments are helping drive economic growth and creating jobs.”
Rapid subscriber migration to 3G/4G mobile broadband networks is occurring across the Asia Pacific region, both in advanced and emerging markets. For Asia Pacific as a whole, just over a quarter of the 3.4 billion mobile connections in the region at the end of 2013 were 3G, while three per cent of connections were running 4G. However, these figures are forecast to rise to 34 per cent and 28 per cent, respectively, of the 4.8 billion total connections expected by 2020.
South Korea is the world’s most advanced 4G market and is the only country to date to have covered 100 per cent of its population by 4G networks. At the
end of 2013, over half of all mobile connections in South Korea were running on 4G networks, the highest 4G penetration rate of any country worldwide.
Mobile operators in China were awarded 4G licences in December 2013 and are now building 4G networks across the country. Recent research from GSMA Intelligence indicated that the take-up of 4G services in China is likely to be at twice the rate of the earlier move to 3G. It is forecast that there will be almost 900 million 4G mobile connections in the country by the end of 2020, up from around 100 million in 2014.
Video usage on the EE network has risen significantly in recent months, and early findings from EE’s latest Mobile Living Index reveal that the video experience is now as important as making calls and web surfing for 4G customers. Video and TV are expected to increase data traffic 1100 per cent in the next four years, and will be more than two thirds of data on the network by 2018.
In May, Ed Vaizey, Minister for Culture, Communications and Creative Industries, announced the launch of the Mobile Video Alliance, founded by EE and run by the Digital TV Group, which represents the UK’s broadcast industry.
Mr Vaizey said: “The Mobile Video Alliance is an exciting new initiative that will dramatically improve the experience of watching video on mobile devices, opening up new opportunities for consumers, broadcasters and content providers.” LTE
Further expansion of
EE network EE has unveiled plans to expand its 4G network and launch new 4G plans and devices.
The move comes as EE 4G customer numbers hit 3.6 million and sales of EE 4G plans outstripped 3G for the first time.
Ed Vaizey
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