Juniper Research has released a report that predicts that the number of LTE mobile broadband subscribers worldwide is on track to top 300 million by 2015. The research firm expects most of the growth to occur from 2012 onward. Although LTE 4G mobile networks will offer dramatically faster mobile network speeds, making mobile data traffic slowdowns less likely, the number of subscribers to LTE networks worldwide will only be around 5 percent.
Subscription levels in North America, however, are predicted to be higher (closer to 20 percent) because numerous major operators are planning LTE network rollouts in the next year. MetroPCS recently rolled out its LTE service in Las Vegas and Dallas and plans to continue the rollouts through 2011. The company has identified Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, Los Angeles, New York City, Philadelphia, Sacramento, CA, San Francisco and areas in Florida as the urban areas where there is intent to add LTE coverage. Verizon is also expected to launch LTE service in up to 30 markets in Q4 2010, and AT&T Mobility says it will launch LTE service by mid-2011.