In-Stat: 30 percent of global wireless will be 3G, 4G by 2013

Advanced wireless networks---3G and 4G---will represent 30 percent of global wireless subscriptions, up from 11 percent at the end of 2008, according to research firm In-Stat. 

Despite all of the chatter about advanced wireless services In-Stat's research is an eye-opener. In the tech crowd one would assume that 3G services had a wider footprint across the globe. 

In-Stat's report raises a few interesting points. Among them:

• WiMax is likely to be attractive in developing markets and remote areas without fixed broadband service. Where 3G networks already exist---like the U.S. and Europe---WiMax is more of a wild card. 
• WiMax to date hasn't been deployed widely for data applications with Clearwire, Korea Telecom and UQ of Japan being exceptions. 
• The fourth quarter featured 132 deployments covering the mostly high speed packet access (HSPA), which accounted for 95 of those rollouts. Going forward, In-Stat said it expected most live deployments to be WiMax and HSPA.

Also see: Sprint: Hedging Wimax--or Clearwire--bet?

• Clearwire names new CEO to oversee Wimax expansion
• Clearwire: The race between Wimax expansion and cash burn is on