[May 31, 2012]

LTE Equipment to Hit $17.5 Billion in 2016; Mobile Infrastructure Takes a Beating in 1Q12

The global 2G, 3G, and 4G equipment market decreased 14% to just under $10 billion in the first quarter of 2012 (1Q12) following an 8% increase the previous quarter, reports market research firm Infonetics Research in its 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE and WiMAX) Infrastructure and Subscribers market share and forecast report.

ANALYST NOTE

"The overall mobile infrastructure market took a beating in the first quarter of 2012," notes Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for mobile infrastructure and carrier economics at Infonetics Research. "We saw weak 2G and 3G activity across the board, exacerbated by China Mobile's dramatic GSM pause on the heels of extraordinary shipment levels in the previous quarter. LTE and WiMAX equipment revenue also declined sequentially. Nonetheless, LTE (News - Alert) spending is up 128% from the year-ago first quarter, and the number of mobile operators committing to LTE continues to increase rapidly. Infonetics forecasts the LTE equipment market to grow to $17.5 billion in 2016."

2G, 3G, 4G MOBILE INFRASTRUCTURE MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

• From the year-ago first quarter, the overall 2G, 3G, and 4G infrastructure market, including LTE and WiMAX equipment, is down 8%
• One bright spot of the quarter is 3G mobile packet core network equipment (GGSNs, SGSNs, PDSNs), up 4% sequentially and up 5% from 1Q11, reflecting ongoing 3G expansion activity tied to 2G modenization
• 319 mobile operators have committed to LTE as of early May 2012, up from 285 the previous quarter, and 72 LTE operators have launched commercial services in 37 countries, according to the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA (News - Alert))
• In 1Q12, Ericsson and Alcatel-Lucent are once again neck and neck in the race for global LTE revenue leadership, followed by Huawei
• Infonetics (News - Alert) expects a spike in TD-SCDMA equipment spending this year due to China Mobile's expanding TD-LTE trials aimed at helping it move quickly to 4G

Infonetics' quarterly 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE and WiMAX) Infrastructure and Subscribers report provides worldwide and regional market size, vendor market share, analysis, and forecasts for LTE, WiMAX, and 2G/3G mobile network equipment and subscribers. The comprehensive report tracks more than 50 sub-segments of the market, from radio access network (RAN), base transceiver stations (BTS) and mobile softswitching to packet core equipment, E-UTRAN macrocells and all flavors of WiMAX. The report features detailed LTE deployment, WiMAX deployment, and spectrum auction trackers. Vendors tracked: Acme Packet, Airspan (News - Alert), Alcatel-Lucent, Alvarion, Apertio, Aperto, Aviat, Cisco, Datang Mobile, Ericsson, Fujitsu, GENBAND, HP, Huawei, Motorola, NEC, NewNet, Nortel, Nokia (News - Alert) Siemens, Proxim, Redline, Samsung, Starent Networks, Tellabs, UTStarcom, ZTE, and many others.

RELATED RESEARCH

• Carrier WiFi equipment market exploding to $2.1 billion by 2016
• Mobile operators ramp WiFi deployments for data offload, seek to integrate WiFi
• Small cell market to hit 3 million units in 2016, driven by urban area capacity upgrades
• Mobile broadband, smartphones, LTE drive Diameter signaling controllers to 106% CAGR
• Small cell survey shows operators plan to run 12% of network capacity on small cells by 2012
• Mobile network optimization / self-organizing network (SON) market nearing $3B by 2015
• Mobile VoIP subscribers will near 410 million by 2015; VoLTE still a long way off

UPCOMING RESEARCH

Download Infonetics report highlights, prospectuses, etc. at http://www.infonetics.com/login (see MOBILE AND WIRELESS or SMALL CELLS AND CARRIER WIFI), or download the Infonetics 2012 Research Publication Calendar at http://bit.ly/zwjcRs.

• 3G & 4G (LTE, WiMAX) Broadband Devices & Subscribers Market Share & Forecast
• 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE) Services & Subscribers: Voice, SMS/MMS, Broadband Market Share & Forecast
• Mobile VoIP Services & Subscribers Market Size & Forecast
• LTE Deployment Strategies: Global Service Provider Survey
• 2G, 3G, 4G (LTE) Infrastructure & Subscribers in China & Japan Market Share & Forecast

SALES

• N. America (West), Asia, Latin America: Larry Howard, [email protected], +1-408-583-3335
• N. America (East), Texas, Midwest: Scott Coyne, [email protected], +1-408-583-3395
• Europe, Middle East, Africa: George Stojsavljevic, [email protected], +44-755-488-1623
• Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp

Infonetics Research is an international market research and consulting firm serving the communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics helps clients plan, strategize, and compete more effectively.

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