LONDON, July 21 /PRNewswire/ --

- HSPA confirmed as fastest adopted mobile technology of all time

Global HSPA connections will pass the 150 million mark by the end of the
summer, the GSM Association announced today. With more than 300 networks
across 127 countries and approaching 1500 HSPA enabled devices readily
available, HSPA has firmly established itself as the world's dominant mobile
broadband technology and the fastest adopted mobile technology of all time.

According to Wireless Intelligence, the following regions are driving
global HSPA connection growth:

- AsiaPac accounts for almost 50 million live HSPA connections
      today and will have over 56 million by this September
    - EMEA HSPA connections will pass the 50 million mark any day and
      will have reached almost 60 million by the end of September this year
    - The US currently has almost 32 million HSPA connections with the
      number expected to rise to nearly 37 million by this September
    - The Americas will have just over four million connections by the
      end of September

"The tremendous success of HSPA demonstrates the enormous ongoing demand
for truly mobile broadband access, " said Dan Warren, Director of Technology,
GSMA. "HSPA's leading position is not just important to the mobile industry -
by using a single technology for mobile broadband services globally, we avoid
the fragmentation that limits its potential to improve the quality of
people's lives."

The phenomenal growth of HSPA is set to continue, with 200 million
connections expected by Q1 2010.

Indeed, with the number of mobile operators in and vendors committed to
the GSM family of technologies (HSPA, HSPA+ and LTE) the success of HSPA
mobile broadband is attracting a lot of attention from outside the
'traditional' mobile industry:

- The consumer electronics, automotive, energy and utility
      industries are beginning to understand the possibilities of embedding
      mobile broadband into their products
    - Governments around the world are making the right spectrum
      available to support mobile broadband services today and into the 
      future, ensuring their economies benefit from the GDP growth associated 
      with the technology
    - Businesses and end users are embracing the freedom and
      productivity benefits offered by mobile broadband, driving flexible
      working practices and enabling impulsive mobile consumers to access the
      mobile internet on the move

HSPA mobile broadband technology continues to drive diversification
across new markets as the true benefits of mobility continue to be embraced
in new and innovative ways.

WCDMA HSPA data and forecasts from Wireless Intelligence and are correct
as at 20 July 2009.

About the GSMA

The GSMA represents the interests of the worldwide mobile communications
industry. Spanning 219 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world's
mobile operators, as well as more than 200 companies in the broader mobile
ecosystem, including handset makers, software companies, equipment providers,
Internet companies, and media and entertainment organisations. The GSMA is
focused on innovating, incubating and creating new opportunities for its
membership, all with the end goal of driving the growth of the mobile
communications industry.

About Wireless Intelligence

Wireless Intelligence is a comprehensive database on the global mobile
market which delivers a granular view of the operational performance of the
world's mobile network operators. It is the de facto industry tool for market
intelligence with a subscriber base of over 550 of the world's mobile
operators, leading equipment manufacturers, software vendors, content
suppliers and consultancies. The service covers all cellular technologies and
includes 2,215,000 individual data points spanning 800 mobile network
operators and 1,300 networks in over 200 countries.

For more information, please visit http://www.gsmworld.com/,
http://hspa.gsmworld.com/