Due to efforts from chip developers such as Qualcomm and ST-Ericsson to move from 3G/3.5G to LTE (Long Term Evolution) and efforts to minimize production costs by system makers such as China-based ZTE and Huawei Technologies, prices for external LTE data cards are expected to continue to drop to US$50 by the end of 2011, according to Taiwan-based makers.

Prices for first-generation single-mode external LTE data cards will drop from below US$1,000 initially to US$150 at the end of 2010, and those for second-generation multi-mode models will continue falling to US$50 at the end of 2011, according to Wireless Solution Director Vernon Lam for Alcatel-Lucent APAC.

Source: Daniel Shen, Taipei; Adam Hwang, DIGITIMES