Mobile to reach 100Mbps before fixed-line, claims GSMA

Mobile broadband will be reaching speeds of 100Mbps before fixed-line, according to the GSM Association (GSMA).

The trade association, which represents over 750 GSM mobile phone operators world wide, believes that Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology will be responsible.

"Tests show LTE can produce speeds up to 186Mbps," said Dan Warren, GSMA director of technology.

"But obviously you never get the top speed and they vary with distance from the base station and interference."

The increasing speeds will be due to the growing demand for faster data speeds, with the Asian markets at the forefront.

Mr Warren said: "The places we expect to see it first are Japan and South Korea in early 2010 and Arun Sarin [formerly of Vodafone] said he expects to see the technology in the European market by 2012."

This claim means that super-fast mobile broadband could appear before BT's new fibre optic improvements are complete.

The telecoms giant recently announced it was to invest £1.5 billion to deliver 100Mbps broadband.

Mr Warren had mixed views on BT's plan: "The BT announcement is not a threat but it will stimulate the market."