Asia to Dominate Mobile WiMAX Market With Over 50% of Subscribers by 2013, According to Juniper Research

Market Wire, January, 2008

Juniper Research forecasts that Asia will account for over 50% of Mobile WiMAX 802.16e subscribers by 2013, exceeding 40 million mobile subscribers.

A country by country analysis by Juniper Research found that countries such as India, Korea, Pakistan, Taiwan and Australia will drive the growth of Mobile WiMAX 802.16e. The study explored how WiMAX will be well suited to rapid deployment in the many underserved areas, whilst government programmes in countries such as Taiwan will support growth.

The new report analysed over 30 countries and found that the Mobile WiMAX 802.16e market will grow to $23bn by 2013. The report confirmed that the market is currently very active in all regions of the world with trials and network contracts being announced on an almost daily basis. M-Taiwan for example is a national project to establish a networked information society and cultivate IT-related industries in the domestic market: it includes six WiMAX licences across Taiwan.

Report author Howard Wilcox says, "We anticipate that mobile usage will develop after initial demand for fixed and portable services -- WiMAX 802.16e is a flexible platform that can operate in all three modes of usage. Mobile WiMAX will represent a single digit proportion of the Asian mobile broadband base by 2013, which will be a tremendous achievement for this new technology platform."

However, the report warns that both the availability of suitable devices, and the award of licences will be important factors in determining the success of Mobile WiMAX 802.16e -- both in Asia and globally.

Howard Wilcox continues: "Mobile WiMAX will be a device-based technology, whether on handsets, laptops, datacards, or other types of consumer device such as media players. Any lack of availability will clearly inhibit market take-up. Over the next year licences in countries such as India, Japan and Thailand, as well as in more countries in other regions, will be auctioned. Timely award of these licences will accelerate market development."

Highlights from the report include:

--  Global Mobile WiMAX subscribers are forecast to reach over 80m by 2013
--  The top Mobile WiMAX markets will be the USA, Japan and S. Korea
--  Over 10 countries will have Mobile WiMAX device markets in excess of
    $100m pa
--  There are several wildcard factors of which could significantly
    increase the size of the market including the emergence of very low cost
    laptops, and adding broadband capability to a range of devices including
    portable music/MP3 players, and games consoles
    

Juniper Research assesses the current and future status of the Mobile WiMAX market based on interviews with senior executives of some of the leading vendors and operators in the growing Mobile WiMAX industry.

White papers and further details of the study "Mobile WiMAX: Global Opportunities, Strategies & Forecasts (Second Edition) 2007 - 2013" can be freely downloaded from http://www.juniperresearch.com . Alternatively please contact John Levett at john.levett@juniperresearch.com , telephone 44(0)1256 830002.

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

John Levett john.levett@juniperresearch.com telephone 44(0)1256 830002