Feb 10, 2003

The CDMA Development Group (CDG) reported that the CDMA2000 subscriber base surpassed 30 million in January 2003.
The CDMA industry continues to lead in 3G deployments, subscriber growth and bringing advanced products and services to the market.

2002 saw tremendous expansion of CDMA2000. 27 operators launched CDMA2000 networks, increasing the number of commercial systems to 37 on five continents. In addition, three operators introduced CDMA2000 1xEV-DO, the most advanced wireless data technology available in the market today, capable of delivering data at rates of up to 2.4 Mbps.

The number of CDMA2000 subscribers grew nearly nine-fold and now account for more than 20 percent of total CDMA users. In Korea, CDMA2000 has captured more than 50 percent of the market after only two years of service.

CDMA2000 services are a true market success, demonstrating that there is a significant demand for 3G applications such as streaming video clips, music and picture downloads, location-based services and Web browsing.

One of the key factors of this success is the broad availability of compelling products at attractive prices: there are more than 250 CDMA2000 devices commercially available with advanced features such as color displays, cameras and MP3 players.

"With additional roll-outs and exponential growth of the subscriber base, we expect that CDMA2000 will continue to dominate 3G in 2003 and beyond," said Perry LaForge, executive director for the CDG.

"Capitalizing on the robustness and high-speed data capabilities of CDMA2000, operators will be able to broaden the range of their advanced service offerings, creating greater value to consumers and higher overall revenues."

In 2003, 22 additional CDMA2000 networks are scheduled to be deployed and the subscriber base is expected to double. Deutsche Bank estimates that more than 66 percent of CDMA handsets shipped this next year will be 3G.

The CDMA Development Group is a trade association formed to foster the worldwide development, implementation and use of cdmaOne(TM) and CDMA2000. The 110 member companies of the CDG include many of the world's largest wireless operators and equipment manufacturers.

The primary activities of the CDG include development of CDMA features and services, public relations, education and seminars, regulatory affairs and international support. Currently, there are more than 500 individuals working within various CDG subcommittees on CDMA-related matters.