Juniper Research has predicted that 3G based HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access) technologies will dominate 70% of mobile broadband services by 2012, casting doubt over Mobile WiMAX's competing ideals.

Several UK mobile phone operators already use the HSDPA and HSUPA variants to deliver up to 1.8Mbps (14.4Mbps theoretical maximum) services over their networks. What's more, come 2012 a staggering 1.2 billion people will be using it compared with today’s 5 million.

Typically HSPA technology is here already and works over existing 3G networks through a software upgrade, which is something that competing standards (Mobile WiMAX) can not do.

Perhaps the best news of all is that this hints at a wider consumer market for the future, which typically brings lower pricing to the masses.