LTE network deployments will continue to grow rapidly globally, with time-division duplex (TDD) network gaining more market traction, according to a report from ABI Research. The study also forecasts that, in Asia-Pacific, LTE-TDD networks will cover more than 53 percent of the population by 2018 at a CAGR of 41.1 percent between 2012 and 2018, while frequency-division duplex (FDD) networks will reach 49 percent population coverage by end-2018.

Among Asia-Pacific’s recently completed, on-going, and upcoming 4G spectrum auctions, 25 percent concern 2600 MHz, 25 percent 1800 MHz, and 20 percent 800 MHz, which is consistent with the popularity of the 2600 MHz band for LTE-TDD networks. Asia-Pacific will be the region with the most LTE-TDD networks, report authors believe. Of global LTE-TDD contracts awarded to vendors so far, 47 percent come from Asia-Pacific and the second largest segment of 18 percent is contributed by the Middle East.

A number of operators are preparing to upgrade LTE networks to LTE-Advanced networks. There have been 29 LTE Advanced network commitments worldwide by this year’s third quarter, of which 10 commitments come from Western Europe, 9 from Asia-Pacific, and 5 from North America.