3G Spending to Double in 2004

In 2004, global spending on 3G infrastructure equipment will rise to $8.8 billion, doubling the $4.4 billion spent in 2003, according to a report by market research firm iSuppli. The firm noted that as of June, 30 commercial WCDMA 3G networks and 12 commercial CDMA2000 1xEV-DO 3G networks were operating in Europe, Japan, South Korea, the United States, and South America. This will help boost overall global capital expenditures for wireless infrastructure to $29.9 billion in 2004, up 15.4 percent from $25.9 billion in 2003.

3G equipment will account for the majority of wireless carrier capital spending by next year, and command 100 percent of expenditures by 2007, iSuppli predicts. By 2009, spending on 3G and future data-centric wireless technologies will grow to more than $38 billion, the firm said. Full story Here.