According to the latest report by Analysys Mason, the number of wireless broadband customers worldwide is expected to exceed 2.1 billion by 2015, generating service revenue of $748 billion.

This revenue increase of about 2,400 per cent will be fuelled by ongoing developments in wireless technologies, improvement in devices and attractive and, flexible pricing options.

Cellular technologies will take the largest share from the revenue growth created by wireless broadband services, predicts Mason.

The importance of high speed packet access (HSPA) is expected to remain strong for the time being, as it is predicted to support 88 per cent of all wireless broadband consumers by the end of 2008. Dr Mark Heath, co-author of the report, said, “Despite the increasing availability of LTE (Long term evolution) and Wimax, HSPA will still support 54 per cent of wireless broadband users by the end of 2015.

According to the report, wireless broadband customers will account for only 17 per cent of users by 2008 in developing regions. However, the scarcity of fixed-line infrastructure will boost the growth of wireless services in these areas, leading to an increase of 40 per cent in the number of wireless broadband customers by 2015. X