GSA confirms LTE investment by 80 countries

This report confirms 154 firm LTE network deployments are in progress or planned in 60 countries, including 20 networks which have commercially launched. Fifty-four operators in 20 more countries are engaged in LTE technology pilot trials or tests, ahead of formal commitments to deploy networks for commercial service (these are referred to as pre-commitment trials). Taken together, it means that 208 operators in 80 countries are now investing in LTE. The report covers both LTE FDD and LTE TDD systems.

The 60 countries and territories having firm LTE network commitments are Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong S.A.R., Hungary, India, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jersey, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore , South Africa, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, UAE, UK, Uruguay, USA, and Uzbekistan.

LTE networks are launched in 14 countries: Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Lithuania, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Sweden, USA, and Uzbekistan.

GSA has again raised its market outlook and now anticipates that at least 81 LTE networks will be in commercial service by end 2012.

The "Evolution to LTE" report provides a concise update of the business drivers, objectives and targets for LTE including network operator commitments and deployment/launch plans, trials, the growing eco-system including device availability, spectrum requirements and developments, voice-over-LTE developments, recent industry forecasts, standardisation activities including LTE-Advanced, and more.

The report notes the growing international interest and acceptance of LTE TDD and confirms numerous studies, trials and deployments underway or planned in Australia, China, India and other Asian markets, Europe, the Middle East, Russia and North America.