4G Americas: Number of 4G LTE Networks Reaches 300

Wireless network operators have launched 109 new commercial LTE mobile broadband networks around the world in the 12 months since June 2013. That brings the number of 4G LTE networks up and running to 300 in 107 countries, according to the latest data from 4G Americas.

4G Americas anticipates 350 new LTE networks will be launched in 2014. In addition, nine LTE-Advanced networks have been commercially deployed in seven countries, with 4G Americas expecting that will reach 40 by year-end 2014.

Commenting on the rapid pace of LTE deployment, stated, “In five years, since the first launch of LTE by TeliaSonera in 2009, there has been explosive growth in LTE network deployments as the entire ecosystem -- operators, vendors and stakeholders combined -- progress the technology,” said 4G Americas’ President Chris Pearson in a press release. “As LTE becomes the foundation of the wireless landscape, LTE-Advanced is the evolutionary step for increased speed and network capacity. We are beginning to see activity around LTE-Advanced including initial launches and devices.”

4G Americas also released some other statistics regarding global LTE deployments:

• 500 total commitments to LTE deployments by mobile operators to date;
• LTE connections are forecast to surpass 2.3 billion by 2020 (Informa Telecoms & Media WCIS+);
• 23 LTE-TDD and 264 LTE-FDD networks, with an additional 23 networks with both LTE-TDD and FDD;
• 10 radio spectrum bands used for LTE today ranging from 700 MHz to 2.6 GHz.