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GSM Leads CDMA in Latin America |
Bellevue, WA, August 12, 2004 - 3G Americas reports that customers in the Western Hemisphere are quickly
adopting GSM wireless technology, making it the number one choice of new
cell phone customers. In Latin America, the total number of GSM customers
reached 36 million, surpassing the number of CDMA customers by 1.6 million
as of June 2004. Subscriber information is based on estimates from the EMC
World Cellular Database. Globally, GSM accounted for 82% of new digital
wireless customers representing 57.8 million of the 70.3 million net
subscribers added in the second quarter. At more than 123% annual gain to its subscriber base, GSM added more
customers from June 2003 to June 2004 than any other mobile wireless
technology in the Americas. In the U.S. and Canada alone, GSM annual growth
was nearly 85%, four times the growth rate of other mobile technologies. Chris Pearson, President of 3G Americas commented, "It was another great
quarter for GSM, as the world's leading wireless technology achieved
significant milestones in the Americas with more than 76 million customers
represented by 100-plus operators." Pearson added, "The region saw the
continued progress of GSM third generation technologies with the nationwide
launch of EDGE in Canada as well as the commercial deployment of UMTS in
four major cities in the U.S." In regards to the Latin America region, 3G Americas' Director of Latin
America and Caribbean, Erasmo Rojas stated that, "GSM remains undoubtedly
the fastest growing and proven global technology in Latin American and the
Caribbean, with an impressive 192% annual growth of its subscriber base."
Rojas continued, "By adding nearly 24 million new customers over the past
year, the number of new GSM customers exceeded the combined total of added
CDMA and TDMA customers during the same period." Latin America Analyst, Eva Benguigui of EMC commented, "In addition to
the 62 operators already offering GSM in Latin America and the Caribbean, a
further 25 operators have confirmed plans to roll out the technology, which
will help GSM become dominant in subscriber terms within 2005."