60 million cdma2000 users seen by 2006
A research report issued by Intex Management Services forecasts 60 million cdma2000 users by 2006.
The report, “Worldwide Market for cdmaOne and cdma2000 Terminals and Base Stations” estimates that at the end of 2000, the cdmaOne and cdma2000 subscriber base had reached 82.2 million, or 11% of all cellular subscribers. The report forecasts an increase in that number to 278.1 million.
“cdmaOne technology has changed incrementally over the last few years from IS-95 to IS-95A to IS-95B and so on. Over the next few years, a more dramatic change is projected as the technology moves from being a 2G cellular technology to a 3G cellular technology; that is, cdma2000,” said Alex Green, a senior analyst with the United Kingdom-based company.
Figure 1 shows the worldwide cdmaOne and cdma2000 cellular subscriber forecasts at the end of 2000 and at the end of 2006. The figure shows that by the end of 2006, 21.5% of the cdmaOne and cdma2000 user base will have moved to a 3G version of the technology. This equates to nearly 60 million cdma2000 subscribers.