Tablets driving new 4G plan adoption

Tablet computer sales surged in the fourth quarter of 2011, and according to research firm Strategy Analytics, this trend is pushing the adoption of tablet-specific 4G/LTE plans to new heights.

Strategy Analytics estimates that tablets now account for nearly 35 percent of all mobile broadband offerings, which typically include plans for 4G/LTE connectivity. This is a notable increase from September 2011, when tablets represented less than 30 percent of these plans.

Pawel Kmiec, who authored the Strategy Analytics report, notes that mobile carriers now support an average of four to five different tablet models. As the number of devices offered continues to grow, Kmiec predicts tablet-specific 4G/LTE plan sales will surge in the coming months.

This is an interesting shift from earlier last year, when the majority of tablet users were opting for devices that only supported WiFi connectivity. A separate report from research firm the NPD Group found that as of October 2011, WiFi-only devices accounted for 65 percent of the tablet computers in use. However, as the tablet audience continues to grow, it is evident that users are demanding different functions from the technology.