GLOBAL MOBILE BROADBAND POPULATION COVERAGE If the benefits of greater mobile connectivity and bandwidth are all but 3G 4G guaranteed, it’s fair to ask why the services aren’t universally available. 84% 86% 86% 86% 81% 76% The answer is complicated. To achieve 73% greater coverage and meet increased 66% 63% demand, carriers must invest significantly 60% in infrastructure. They must do so in a 56% 56% highly competitive environment, with new 50% 50% carriers entering the market, questions 43% 44% about consumers’ ability or willingness to 34% 35% pay for the voice and data services, not to mention government regulation and 26% taxation. Despite all of the variables, one 22% 19% thing is for sure: demand is and will continue 11% to increase rapidly, so not investing in the 5% delivery system (spectrum acquisition, 2% 0% 0% hardware and cell sites, 5G infrastructure) 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 is simply not an option. Source: The Mobile Economy 2015, GSMA 32