In fact, as many as 80 percent of mobile subscribers worldwide are expected to be part of the GSM/GPRS/EDGE/WCDMA path by 2007, according to Kursten Leins, Strategic Marketing Manager for Mobility Solutions of Ericsson Australia.

"Eventually all WCDMA networks are expected to be upgraded to HSPA," she said. "WCDMA/HSPA networks are key components in offering users richer mobile services.

"HSPA delivers true mobile broadband services over existing WCDMA infrastructure, providing mobile operators with a new revenue stream based on existing user behavior and demand."

4G alternatives

But while HSPA provides significantly higher speeds than its 3G cellular predecessors, there are those who claim that "true" wireless broadband speeds are yet to come.