LTE Connections Up Sharply, Especially in North America, 4G Americas Says

LTE deployment continues to grow rapidly, with nearly 635 million total connections worldwide as of Q1, 4G Americas said Friday. That's a 151 percent increase year-over-year, the group said. In North America, 44 percent of mobile connections are LTE, compared with 9 percent worldwide, 4G Americas said. “North America continues to prove its leadership in LTE with metrics such as population coverage, share of market and penetration,” said Chris Pearson, president of 4G Americas. “This foreshadows the future of mobile broadband in the Americas and the important influence that LTE carries as it helps lay the foundation for 5G in 2020 and beyond.” There are 68 commercial LTE networks deployed in the U.S. and Canada, with 180 million LTE connections as of March, a gain of 66 million new LTE subscribers in 12 months, the group said.