cdmaOne Remains the Fastest Growing Wireless
Standard in History
Costa Mesa, CA, Sept. 1, 1999 -- The CDMA Development
Group (CDG) today announced that cdmaOne subscriber growth
increased 171 percent from June 1998 to June 1999, reaching
nearly 35 million global subscribers. Asia and North America
more than doubled in subscriber growth, while cdmaOne penetration
in Europe, the Middle East and Latin America also continued
to escalate, totaling more than two million subscribers.
cdmaOne offers distinct advantages over other digital technologies
including the ability to provide Internet and information
services on 2G networks, a seamless evolution path to 3G,
as well as the accommodation of subscriber growth without
incremental infrastructure investment by operators.
"cdmaOne experienced significant
worldwide growth during the first six months of 1999, giving
cdmaOne presence on virtually every continent. For the rest
of this year, cdmaOne deployment and growth rate will continue
not only in Asia and North America, but in emerging markets
such as India, Latin America and the Middle East," said Perry
LaForge, executive director of the CDG. "cdmaOne is clearly
a natural fit for global operators migrating to 3G because
the technology offers data access and other 3G-like services
today."
Asia continues to drive cdmaOne subscriber growth with a
138 percent increase, bringing the region’s total to more
than 20 million users. North America, consisting of the United
States and Canada, increased 205 percent by adding seven million
subscribers this year. With almost two million subscribers,
the Caribbean and Latin American regions experienced a 1167
percent increase. cdmaOne subscriber growth also skyrocketed
in Europe, the Middle East and Africa with a 4685 percent
increase.
"Countries that have recently embraced cdmaOne, including
Australia, New Zealand, India, Russia and China, present significant
market growth opportunities for cdmaOne in the near future.
Additionally, with cdmaOne coverage to expand in Chile, Cambodia,
Thailand, Singapore, Chile and the Philippines, we expect
to reach our goal of 50 million subscribers by the year’s
end," said LaForge.
