comScore says 28.4% of American mobile subscribers have 3G devices now, versus 28.3% in the largest countries in Europe.
The number of US subscribers with 3G enabled devices has grown 80%, to 64.2 million during the past year. The market has responded enthusiastically as mobile vendors have rolled out their enhanced networks and a new crop of 3G enabled devices.
According to the research, the only individual major European countries exceeding the US in 3G penetration are Italy and Spain.
Mark Donovan, senior vice president and senior analyst at comScore, commented: “For years, the American mobile industry has aspired to the level of sophistication of the European market. Today, Americans have finally caught up with Europeans in adoption of 3G. The advancements in 3G network technology and the introduction of sleek devices into the US market have paid off as adoption of mobile media continues to grow at a rapid pace.”