US takes 3G crown from Europe

Pro

For the first time the number of American 3G users has topped that in Europe, according the metrics company comScore.

The analysts found that 28.4% of American mobile subscribers now have 3G devices versus 28.3% in the largest countries in Europe. Only Italy and Spain have a greater percentage of 3G users than the US.

“For years, the American mobile industry has aspired to the level of sophistication of the European market,” observed Mark Donovan, senior vice president and senior analyst, comScore.

“Today, Americans have finally caught up with Europeans in adoption of 3G. The advancements in 3G network technology and the introduction of sleek devices into the US market have paid off as adoption of mobile media continues to grow at a rapid pace.”

Overall the US 3G market grew by over 80% in the last year, to over 60 million users. The average EU growth rate was barely half that figure. Growth rates all some European countries was over 20%, with the fastest growing markets in Spain (75.4%), Germany (67.1%) and the UK (46.1%).

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