The growing use of mobile broadband services by handsets, laptops, MIDs, and mobile CE devices will place ever-increasing demands on 3G networks. In the end, 4G networks will be required because people use devices wherever they are. Meanwhile, one way to reduce the stress on network capacity is through the use of fixed-mobile convergence (FMC), which routes traffic through customers’ wired broadband connections when they are at home. New data from ABI Research suggests that capital expenditure by mobile operators on 4G base station gateways and FMC-related carrier equipment will approach US$850 million in 2013.

More here at Digitimes.