In the wake of the fact that the usage of 4G LTE mobile technology has skyrocketed in the three years of its existence, a new report by market research firm IHS iSuppli has projected that the number of worldwide users of LTE will witness a more than two-fold increase - surpassing the 100 million mark - in 2013; and will probably touch over 1 billion subscribers by 2016.

According to the statistics put forth by IHS iSuppli, global LTE subscribership is likely to reach 198.1 million by the end of 2013; thus underscoring a "remarkable" 115 percent leap from the last year figures of 92.3 million.

Highlighting the fact that the next-generation LTE wireless technology - which was first deployed merely three years back - has "grown by leaps and bounds," IHS iSuppli said that, in 2010, the technology was adopted by only 612,000 users.

The figures jumped to 13.2 million subscribers in 2011; and to approximately 100 million subscribers in 2012, underscoring an astounding 599 percent increase. However, though the LTE infrastructure is being developed by wireless network operators all across the world, most of the new subscribers in 2011 and 2012 were from North America.

Meanwhile, noting that the LTE ecosystem will face challenges and opportunities as it grows, Wayne Lam - IHS' senior analyst for wireless communications - said in a statement: "Overall, the LTE space will be less worried about rifts or divisions in technology, and more concerned with laying the foundation for sustained growth across the entire LTE landscape."