TeleGeography | January 12, 2011
Data from TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database shows that there are half a dozen countries around the world where 3G subscribers account for more than half of all wireless customers. At the end of September 2010, North Korea – one of the globe’s most secretive and closed economies – led the charge, with over 99.9% of the country’s 301,399 wireless users connected to a 3G network, namely that which was launched by Egyptian owned cellco CHEO Technology (Koryolink) in December 2008. It should be noted however that services over the Koryolink network are severely restricted: users have access to SMS but access to the internet is restricted to a small number of official websites. In second place is Japan, where an impressive 94.6% of all wireless users are connected to 3G platforms, followed by regional rival South Korea (71.7%), Australia (64.6%) and Taiwan (58.1%). Sweden is the only non-Asia-Pacific country to make it into the top six, with 55.4% of wireless users connected to a 3G network. Slovakia is the sole country from Eastern Europe to make the top ten (48%), while the US is placed 24th with 31.4% of users on a 3G network.
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