The Asia-Pacific region is expected to have more than 564 million 3G subscribers by 2013 compared with 121 million in 2007 and an estimated 158.4 million last year, says an industry analyst.
With 3G subscriber net additions in record numbers year-on-year, mobile operators are eager to establish 3G external broadband devices, namely connection devices like dongles and datacards, to complement their mobile broadband offerings, says Frost & Sullivan senior industry analyst Marc Einstein.
He says dongles and datacards are increasingly a preferred connectivity device of choice for Asia Pacific's broadband subscribers given the slim form-factor of the devices, faster 3G speeds and competitive service plans available.
By 2013, more than one in every three new broadband subscriber will use dongles or datacards for their mobile broadband needs, giving fixed broadband players a run for their money, he said in a statement on Tuesday.
According to a report from Frost & Sullivan on 3G external broadband devices in Asia Pacific, there were an estimated 5.2 million mobile broadband dongle and datacard users in Asia Pacific last year, with corresponding billings of more than $1.3 billion.
With the continuous rollout of new 3G networks and 3.5G/4G upgrades across the region, Frost & Sullivan believed that there would be nearly 37 million 3G subscribers using external wireless devices for their mobile broadband needs by the end of 2013, with estimated billable revenues of 7.
{{/usCountry}}With the continuous rollout of new 3G networks and 3.5G/4G upgrades across the region, Frost & Sullivan believed that there would be nearly 37 million 3G subscribers using external wireless devices for their mobile broadband needs by the end of 2013, with estimated billable revenues of 7.
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