LTE Deployment Activity Moving to Asia-Pacific, Latin American Regions

The majority of new Long Term Evolution networks globally will be happening in the Asia–Pacific and Latin American regions between now and 2018, Analysys Mason researchers say. That is a logical progression, as LTE networks have been under construction for some time in Europe and North America.

The first LTE deployments occurred in Finland and Sweden, and the world's largest Long Term Evolution networks (measured by number of subscribers, if not area of coverage) are in the United States, but emerging Asia-Pacific and Latin American regions have the highest number of planned LTE networks, according to Analysys Mason.

       Operational and planned LTE networks by region, July, 2013 (Analysys Mason)

Emerging market countries are also taking advantage of LTE technology. India, Malaysia and Vietnam are the leaders in the emerging APAC region for the number of LTE networks planned, says Analysys Mason.  

Some 59 LTE network trials were in progress as of July 2013. The largest number of LTE network trials is in Central and Eastern Europe (26), emerging Asia-Pacific nations (24) and Western Europe (20).