Is there a mobile spectrum shortage? New data from Infonetics may come as a surprise

CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Market research firm Infonetics Research released excerpts from a new Mobile Spectrum market size and forecast report, which analyzes radio frequency spectrum allocation and needs in the world’s top economies.

“HSPA+ and LTE are two of the primary reasons operators have been able to squeeze more and more bits out of limited spectrum”

ANALYST NOTE

“Seven years ago the ITU predicted the world would need twice as much radio frequency spectrum as is allocated now, and that was even before the advent of the data-hungry iPhone. But if the ITU forecast had held true, all mobile networks with significant mobile broadband usage would have crashed by now,” reports Stéphane Téral, principal analyst for mobile infrastructure and carrier economics at Infonetics Research.

“HSPA+ and LTE are two of the primary reasons operators have been able to squeeze more and more bits out of limited spectrum,” Téral adds. “HSPA/HSPA+ and LTE improve spectral efficiency so significantly that the need for spectrum has been greatly reduced, often by at least half. LTE technology is not only resistant to interference between cells but also spreads transmission efficiently over available spectrum. Our mobile spectrum report explores additional techniques operators are using to optimize their cellular resources without adding more spectrum and provides an alternative view to the mainstream belief that there is not enough spectrum.”

MOBILE SPECTRUM MARKET HIGHLIGHTS

• WiFi offload may also be helping ease the spectrum crunch: Some mobile operators report to Infonetics that up to 75% of mobile device data traffic is on WiFi
• Despite the ubiquity of HSPA and EV-DO, average mobile connection speeds remain low, below 4 Mbps on average in the 16 countries included in Infonetics’ analysis
• Russia has the highest average (4.1 Mbps) and peak (21 Mbps) mobile connection speeds, mainly because it has one of the world’s best mobile networks but relatively few 3G subscribers and low Internet usage
• The U.S. leads the global mobile broadband race when it comes to number of LTE subscribers, accounting for just over half of the world’s 64 million LTE subscribers
• Countries with heavy mobile broadband usage such as the US, South Korea, and Japan are on track to need 1,000 MHz of spectrum by 2017
• Indonesia, the 3rd largest population on earth, has the potential to be the “new China” in terms of mobile growth opportunities; however, the country has been slow to enable mobile broadband and open up 3G spectrum

REPORT SYNOPSIS

Infonetics’ new mobile spectrum report provides market size, forecasts, analysis, and trends for mobile spectrum in the world’s 16 largest economies (according to the World Bank): The United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Brazil, United Kingdom, Italy, Russia, India, Canada, Spain, Australia, Mexico, South Korea, and Indonesia. The report also features a 3G and 4G Spectrum Auctions Tracker following 65 countries by region, status, and scheduled deployments. To buy the report, contact Infonetics: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp.

RELATED RESEARCH

• Latest Infonetics Mobile and Wireless research brief: http://bit.ly/ZFXq2d
• LTE market nearly doubling in 2013
• Femtocells up 66% in 4Q12; big 2013 expected as 4G femtos ramp
• Mobile operators feeling pressure from OTT and free services
• Operators are deploying SON in LTE and 3G networks alike; name top vendors
• 3G and 4G self-organizing network (SON) software market set to double in 2013
• Small cell is the buzz but DAS is the biz, say operators in latest Infonetics survey
• Operators stepping up equipment spending in 2013, led by Asia; growth returns to Europe
• Telecom outsourcing, managed services a $76 billion opportunity by 2016

UPCOMING MARKET SHARE / FORECAST REPORTS AND SURVEYS

Download Infonetics’ market research brochure, publication calendar, events brochure, report highlights, tables of contents, and more at http://www.infonetics.com/login.

• 2G, 3G, 4G Mobile Infrastructure & Subscribers in Japan & China
• 3G & 4G Mobile Broadband Devices & Subscribers
• Embedded Mobile and M2M Modules
• IP RAN & 3GPP Strategies & Vendor Leadership: Global Service Provider Survey
• Service Provider Capex, Revenue & Capex by Equipment
• Service Provider Outsourcing to Vendors
• Small Cell Equipment

INFONETICS WEBINARS

Visit https://www.infonetics.com/infonetics-events to learn more or register for Infonetics events.

• Integrating Carrier WiFi with the Mobile Network (View on demand)
• Scaling Small Cell Backhaul (View on demand)
• Diameter Signaling Control: Managing Mobile Broadband Growth (Apr. 11: Register)

TO BUY REPORTS, CONTACT:

N. America (West), Asia, Latin America: Larry Howard, [e-mail], [phone]

N. America (East), Texas, Midwest: Scott Coyne, [e-mail], [phone]

Europe, Middle East, Africa: George Stojsavljevic, [e-mail], [phone]

Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan: http://www.infonetics.com/contact.asp

ABOUT INFONETICS

Infonetics Research (www.infonetics.com) is an international market research and consulting firm serving the communications industry since 1990. A leader in defining and tracking emerging and established technologies in all world regions, Infonetics helps clients plan, strategize, and compete effectively. View Infonetics’ About Us slides at http://bit.ly/QUrbrV.