Cellular Modem Shipments Increased 300%, Says ABI Research

In 2007, cellular modem shipments increased by more than 300% over 2006. Not only was the dramatic increase remarkable, but interestingly USB modems accounted for over half of the shipments. Growth drivers included continued expansion of 3G cellular networks, and the popularity of USB modems among retail sales staff. But probably the most significant drivers were the expansion of offers for mobile broadband access and the simultaneous reductions in price on the part of European operators. Europe accounted for a very high percentage of the cellular modem shipments in 2007.

Principal analyst Dan Shey of ABI Research says, "European mobile operators' aggressive mobile broadband pricing was striking. It released the pent-up demand for wireless broadband services and showed the possibilities for growth in other world regions."

As a leader in analysis of mobile broadband and cellular modems, ABI Research has launched a new service, the "Cellular PC Modems Research Service," to help its clients identify the next growth opportunity for cellular modems and understand the market conditions that will create this opportunity.

The Service covers the competitive dynamics of the entire value chain including chipset suppliers, independent software vendors, device OEMs, cellular modem providers, operators, VARs and system integrators.

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