Based on GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) statistics, there were 4,416 models of LTE-enabled mobile terminal devices cumulatively launched around the world as of the end of February, an addition of 1,770 models from a year earlier. 1,311 or 74.1% of the additions were smartphones, according to Digitimes Research.
Smartphones accounted for 61.2% of the cumulatively launched 4,416 models, routers 18.5% and USB Dongles 4.7%, Digitimes Research indicated.
Of the 1,311 smartphones launched in March 2015-February 2016, only 89 or 6.8% supported VoLTE (voice over LTE), reflecting a low proportion of LTE mobile telecom carriers for providing VoLTE services. As of the end of February 2016, 126 LTE telecom carriers had announced VoLTE services and 55 of them had begun VoLTE operations, taking up 11.1% of all mobile telecom carriers around the world.
As 4G network coverage and the proportion of mobile communication subscribers using 4G has reached a certain high level, VoLTE is expected to take off during 2016-2017.
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