Tablet Net Adds at Verizon Wireless, Sprint Lead Global Charge to 250 Million Tablet Mobile Broadband Subscriptions by 2018

-- Strategy Analytics Reports Highlight LTE, Shared Data Plans and 'Comes with Data' as Top Market Drivers

BOSTON, May 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Tablets with mobile broadband subscriptions using 3G and 4G LTE will grow more than five times in the next five years to reach nearly 250 million in 2018 at a global level, according to the Strategy Analytics Wireless Operator Strategies (WOS) service report, "Global Active Mobile Broadband Tablet Subscription Forecast: 2010-2018"

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Click here for the report:  https://www.strategyanalytics.com/default.aspx?mod=reportabstractviewer&a0=9608

Key Strategy Analytics predictions for the mobile broadband tablet market:

• 247 million tablet subscriptions by 2018, up from 45 million in 2013
• Attach rates only 45% of tablets with embedded mobile connectivity, had a data plan in 2013, which means only 10% of all tablets had a direct mobile broadband connection (excluding Wi-Fi connections via tethering).
• Biggest growth is in LTE:  LTE will account for 92.4% of all tablet subscriptions by the end of 2018, overtaking 3G
• US wireless market growth: the US will add 50 million tablet subscriptions in the next five years; Verizon Wireless, Sprint and AT&T combined added nearly 1.5 million tablet subscriptions in Q1 2014.  
• Revenue and data traffic impact: Tablets will contribute US$26 billion to operator service revenues and generate over five million Terabytes of mobile data traffic in 2018.

Quotes:

Phil Kendall, Executive Director, Wireless Operator Strategies, commented: "In emerging markets, operators are seeing some success using their own-branded tablets to drive up the total addressable market for 3G / 4G tablets. We are also seeing more 'comes with data' models where device purchase includes a free monthly data allowance, such as HP's DataPass"   

Susan Welsh de Grimaldo, Director, Wireless Operator Strategies said: "In markets with high wireless penetration rates, operators are driving tablet connections through use of shared data plans  and add-on plans to encourage their existing phone user base to add a tablet to their account. For example, in the US, both Verizon Wireless and Sprint reported tablet net additions of over 500,000 in the first quarter this year."

About Strategy Analytics

Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America, Europe and Asia, Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com 

US Contact: Susan Welsh de Grimaldo, +1 617 614 0724, swelshdegrimaldo@strategyanalytics.com

European Contact: Phil Kendall, pkendall@strategyanalytics.com, +44 1908 423 620