The Analysis to the Status and Future Development Trend of LTE Terminal Market

With operators’ increasing deployment of LTE network, 2013 will see more and more LTE network enter commercial stage. According to the latest research from GSA, by the end of January 2013, there have introduced 666 LTE user equipments across the globe, including 221 types of smartphones and 53 kinds of Tablet PC. In addition, a total of 156 carriers in 67 countries start LTE commercial business. And CSA said there will have 244 LTE commercial networks in 87 countries by the end of 2013. LTE network takes off.

Currently, LTE in North America and Japan develops rapid. For instance, U.S. carrier Verizon has achieved 100% of coverage in LTE network; another operator AT&T also reaches 100% coverage. And North American Clear-Wire is turning to TD-LTE as well. In Japan, NTT Docomo declared its LTE users has exceeded 10 million, doubles from August last year. And based on the data in its official website, 30 kinds of LTE cellphones are available to NTT Docomo.

From terminal penetration, LTE is essential in the US and Japanese market with 100% of the newly introduced handsets adopting LTE terminal, but not 3G terminal. Starting from next year, LTE will come to the second generation, which is set t o drive the development of related technology and bring technical threshold. At the same time, European market will also set off the wave of widely coverage of LTE; South American LTE network is in active deployment as well.

As for China, the chairman of China Mobile, Xi Guohua said, Chinese LTE TDD will cover more than 100 cities by the end of 2013, with LTE terminal procurement exceeding 1 million units. Besides, he added, driven by GTI, China Mobile, Clearwire, KT and other LTE TDD/FDD carriers has succeeded in completing roaming test; 11-band multi-mode MiFi promoted by GTI also has been developed, symbolizing LTE TDD/FDD has global roaming capacity in technology.

“It is expected many manufacturers in China to soon launch LTE intelligent terminal. This will largely promote the development of LTE in Chinese market. We believe, after the LTE licensing, the coverage will surge,” pointed out Dr. Zhang Lu, director of mobile product at Marvell.