North American mobile market transformed by rapid LTE progress
Please complete the form below or register for a free public account to access this report.
North America was home to 15 live LTE networks in Q3 2012, accounting for almost half (48%) of global LTE connections. The US totalled 20.5 million LTE connections last quarter compared to 1.0 million in Canada. US marker leader Verizon Wireless stands out as the largest LTE operator worldwide, responsible for one third of the global market with 14.9 million LTE connections.
Two years after the launch of the country’s first LTE network, 7% of the North American connections base has migrated to LTE. This represents a more rapid adoption than in most European or Asian markets (with the exception of Japan and South Korea), which are still lacking momentum due to spectrum fragmentation issues.
LTE spectrum in North America has been harmonised around the digital dividend and AWS bands, which has helped fuel rapid development of attractive devices and allowed aggressive network deployments.
Download the Report
Complete the form below to get instant access to this report. For easier access in the future, you can register for a free account here.
Related research
The Mobile Economy Africa 2025
Mobile connectivity is a cornerstone for building modern, inclusive and sustainable digital economies in Africa. It also enables transformative technologies such as AI to be integrated into the daily activities of individuals and businesses. Additionally, the mobile ecosystem has become a critical driver of economic growth, helping countries navigate structural challenges such as infrastructure gaps, energy constraints, affordability pressures and shifting demographics.
Mobile Data Deck, Q3 2025
The GSMA Intelligence Mobile Data Deck offers a fast track to all the essential data you need to know, with key mobile metrics in one easy-to-use deck of charts. The forecasts to 2030 include connections by region and technology generation, smartphone connections and adoption, and mobile operator revenue.
The Mobile Economy North America 2025
Across North America, almost 320 million people are connected to the mobile internet. Around 60% connect through 5G networks, underlining the speed at which the region is migrating to next-generation devices and services.
Authors
How to access this report
Annual subscription: Subscribe to our research modules for comprehensive access to more than 200 reports per year.
Enquire about subscriptionContact our research team
Get in touch with us to find out more about our research topics and analysis.
Contact our research teamMedia
To cite our research, please see our citation policy in our Terms of Use, or contact our Media team for more information.
Learn moreRelated research
The Mobile Economy Africa 2025
Mobile connectivity is a cornerstone for building modern, inclusive and sustainable digital economies in Africa. It also enables transformative technologies such as AI to be integrated into the daily activities of individuals and businesses. Additionally, the mobile ecosystem has become a critical driver of economic growth, helping countries navigate structural challenges such as infrastructure gaps, energy constraints, affordability pressures and shifting demographics.
Mobile Data Deck, Q3 2025
The GSMA Intelligence Mobile Data Deck offers a fast track to all the essential data you need to know, with key mobile metrics in one easy-to-use deck of charts. The forecasts to 2030 include connections by region and technology generation, smartphone connections and adoption, and mobile operator revenue.
The Mobile Economy North America 2025
Across North America, almost 320 million people are connected to the mobile internet. Around 60% connect through 5G networks, underlining the speed at which the region is migrating to next-generation devices and services.
- 200 reports a year
- 50 million data points
- Over 350 metrics