GSA (Global mobile Suppliers Association) reports that 97 manufacturers have announced 821 LTE-enabled user devices, including frequency and carrier variants. Of these, 474 new LTE user devices were launched in the past year. 

LTE subscribers are projected to surpass the 100-million mark this year and will reach 198.1 million in 2013, up 115% from 92.3 million last year, according to an IHS iSuppli Wireless Communications Special Report.

ABI Research has forecasted that outdoor small cells will reach 500,000 units in 2013 in its latest report on outdoor small cells and carrier Wi-Fi Market Data. 1W and below small cell class will represent almost two-thirds of unit shipments in 2013, and continue to grow to overtake the higher power 5-10W microcell shipments during 2014.

GSA has confirmed that 145 operators have launched commercial services in 66 countries so far. GSA further reports that 104 new operators have committed to invest in LTE network deployments in 2012, raising the total number of committed operators to 330 in 104 countries.

According to a new ABI Research finding, an estimated 103 Million 4G LTE mobile devices were shipped in 2012. Apple’s iPhone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones provided LTE-enabled handset shipments a substantial lift in 2012. LTE-enabled handset contribution was put to 91 million in 2012 and the balance came from other mobile devices.

Global LTE smartphone shipments will grow threefold to reach 275 million units in 2013, reports Strategy Analytics. 90.9 million units are expected to be shipped in 2012.  Company forecasts that it will be a record year for 4G technology.

LTE subscriptions in North America has soared to 22.3 million, a increase of almost 19 million in 12 months at the end of the 3Q 2012. This represents 51 percent of all 43.7 million LTE connections worldwide, reports 4G Americas. 128 commercial LTE networks have been launched in 58 countries to date.