Shift to 4G networks faster than previous generations

The shift to fourth-generation networks will be faster than the take-up of previous generations of mobile technology in most parts of the world, marking an unprecedented shift in mobile communications.

The number of superfast mobile internet connections worldwide is forecast to pass 1 billion by 2017, according to the GSMA, the organisation that represents the interest of mobile operators worldwide. The rapid take-up means that more than one in eight mobile connections will use superfast 4G networks within the next four years, up from just 176 million connections at the end of 2013. The technology, also known as LTE, offers rapid internet speeds rivalling fixed-line broadband networks, opening up a host of new applications and services for smartphone providers. Almost 500 LTE networks are forecast to be in service across 128 countries by 2017, roughly double the number of LTE networks today.