The introduction of Long-Term Evolution (LTE) high-speed data services – one of the 'fourth generation' options for mobile technology – won't mean the demise of third-generation services. In fact, because the 4G LTE service is mainly designed for data traffic, 3G will become an increasingly-popular choice for voice calls and as a backup data service.
That's the message from Dan Warren, the GSM Association's director of technology, who told Unstrung.com that the commercial lifespan of 3G High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) is very long. He sees today's 167 million HSPA connections increasing to 1.5 billion by 2014, when LTE is expected to become popular.