100Mbps target for next gen mobile broadband (3GLTE)

A study by Juniper Research looks at the prospects for 3GLTE as a successor to existing mobile broadband technologies.

3GLTE (Long Term Evolution) is being touted as the long term successor as it offers an easier migration from current 3G/HSPA technologies in use today.  The forecast is that by 2010, 3GLTE will be going commercial.  Furthermore, Juniper believes that subscriber numbers will reach 24 million by 2012.

The study also notes that LTEs goals include much higher data transfer rates, boasting download speeds up to 100Mbps and upload speeds up to 50Mbps, along with other technological enhancements designed to increase network efficiency and reduce latency.

However, Juniper warns that LTE needs to continually evolve to ensure costs are low and performance continues to increase to keep up with rival technologies such as Mobile WiMAX.

Report Author Howard Wilcox said, “We expect 3GLTE to begin to achieve significant market traction towards the 2011 to 2012 timeframe.   By 2012, for example, we forecast that 3GLTE will represent around 24 million subscribers globally.  As the GSM Association has said recently, it is a natural follow-on from HSPA and will benefit from the extensive installed base of HSPA worldwide.  Western Europe will account for over half of LTE subscribers in 2012.”