Analysys Mason publish wireless broadband findings

Wireless broadband is expected to create significant opportunities for revenue growth, according to a report by telecoms advisers Analysys Mason.

Around $784 billion in service revenue will be created by 2.1 billion wireless broadband users worldwide by 2015, the company predicts.

Continued wireless technology developments, device improvements and flexible pricing options will be behind the 2400 per cent increase in revenue.

HSPA will dominate at the end of 2008, supporting 88 per cent of customers, and will continue to be important, although less so by 2015.

"Despite the increasing availability of LTE and WiMAX, HSPA and HSPA+ will still support 54 per cent of wireless broadband users by the end of 2015," said the reports co-author, Dr Mark Heath.

The report found that LTE will take off slowly but will serve 440 million by 2015, while WiMAX will only have 98 million users by then.

Developing regions will play a heavy part too, as the lack of fixed-line infrastructure will fuel demand for wireless, meaning that in 2015 these areas will make up 57 per cent of consumers worldwide, up from 17 per cent at the end of this year.