GSA: Over 1,000 LTE Devices Now Available

There are now more than 1,000 4G LTE devices available, with more than 200 live networks deployed using the new 4G technology.

The latest report from the Global Mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) finds that there are now 202 live LTE networks globally with 1,064 LTE devices available. (See 4G LTE: Room to Grow Globally.)

Since July 2012, 647 new LTE user devices have been announced, with the number of manufacturers increasing by 66 percent in that time. The majority of these devices are smartphones. (See The Summer of LTE.)

Here's how they break down:

Figure 1: Available LTE Devices Source: GSA

Most of the LTE devices operate in the FDD mode. Support for the LTE TDD mode -- sometimes referred to as TD-LTE -- is, however, growing. Two hundred twenty-two devices can now operate using the LTE TDD mode, supporting the growing number of operators that are using unpaired spectrum. (See Defining 4G: What the Heck Is LTE TDD?)

The newly announced China Mobile Ltd. (NYSE: CHL) deployment will be the largest LTE TDD deployment yet seen. (See Report: Huawei, ZTE Win Big at China Mobile.)

— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading