According to a presentation "3GPP Technology Standards Roadmap" from Stephen Hayes, Chair 3GPP-SA, LTE-Advanced would

GSMA forecasts one billion 4G-LTE connections worldwide by 2017. At the end of 2013, there were 176 million LTE connections globally. Nearly 500 LTE networks are forecast to be in service across 128 countries, roughly double the number of live LTE networks today.

GSMA recently hosted joint Latin America and North America Conference in Miami, USA. Key activities included a 3GPP Seminar aimed at the Latin American Operator community

LTE smartphones will top 65 million units in 2012 and will help push the total royalty 14% higher in 2012, says ABI Research. Mobile wireless royalties for GSM, WCDMA, and LTE smartphones were just under $20 billion in 2011. LTE handsets will make only total 4% of the total handsets shipped in 2012 however total royalty revenue will be higher.

While India's Telecom Industry was recently in news due to recent 3G & BWA auctions and expected TD-LTE deployments from winners Qualcomm & RIL (Infotel), another giant step by TELECOM REGU