With nearly 50 telecom carriers around the globe having launched LTE services, global shipments of LTE-enabled smartphones are expected to reach 25-30 million units in 2012, accounting for 4-5% of total handset shipments for the year, according to industry sources.

Carriers in the US, Korea and Japan are currently purchasing LTE smartphones mainly from Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, Pantech and HTC as well as a small portion from Motorola Mobility, noted the sources.

However, the purchasing pattern is expected to change soon after Nokia, Apple, RIM (Research in Motion), Sony Mobile, LG Electronics and China-based ZTE also roll out their LTE models this year, commented the sources.

While Android still dominating the LTE smartphone segment, Nokia and HTC have launched LTE Windows Phone models, and Apple and RIM are expected to release comparable models running on their own platforms in the second half of 2012, indicated the sources.