The total number of LTE, consisting of FDD-LTE, TD-LTE and FDD/TD-LTE dual-mode, subscribers around the world will increase to 379.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2014, growing on quarter by 14.9% and on year by 89.6%, according to Digitimes Research.
North America will account for 40.4% of the total number, Asia Pacific for 40.1% and Europe for 15.5%, Digitimes Research indicated. Mainly due to China Mobile's fast growing TD-LTE user base, Asia Pacific will account for 41.5% of global LTE subscribers in the first quarter of 2015, exceeding 38.8% for North America.
There will be 306 FDD-LTE networks, 45 TD-LTE and 16 FDD/TD-LTE dual-mode networks in commercial operation around the world in the fourth quarter.
Taiwan-based ODMs/OEMs will ship 2.088 million LTE data communication devices in the second half of 2014, consisting of 123,000 dongles, 441,000 Mi-Fi units, 1.234 million CPE (customer premises equipment) units, 21,000 Small Cells and 269,000 modules. Shipments in the first half of 2015 will increase to 2.201 million units.