The popularity of 3G services and its rapid growth worldwide can be judged from the fact that majority of the handsets being offered to consumers are now 3G compatible, reveals a new research from market research firm, Wireless Intelligence.

In mature markets, 3G devices account for about two-thirds of operator device portfolios mainly complimented by factors such as network coverage, lower device costs and operator focus on mobile broadband services.

According to Wireless Intelligence, Dedicated data-only mobile broadband devices - such as dongles and laptop datacards - represent around 15 percent of the total devices offered by global operators.

The research takes into reference figures for Q1 2010 and includes data shared by 36 key mobile operators in 19 countries across the globe. It takes into consideration handsets offered by operators via their online retail stores and hence does not reflects unit volumes or sales to end users.

There is still scope for further growth of 3G services with actual 3G connections being only one-third of total operator connections in mature markets and one in ten in emerging markets.

Wireless Intelligence says that total global mobile connections reached 5 billion at the beginning of the month with 3G (WCDMA) connections accounting for 11 percent (approx. 550 million) of the total.

"It's taken a long time for 3G devices to come-of-age as they have often suffered from high prices and poor design, but generous operator subsidies and unlimited data plans have helped to boost adoption in recent years," said Joss Gillet, Senior Analyst, Wireless Intelligence. "Our new research shows that most mobile operators around the world are now heavily promoting 3G-capable devices in order to tap into new mobile data revenues and push into mobile broadband."