SK Telecom Co. on Thursday projected the number of its long-term evolution subscribers to grow two-fold next year on the back of solid demand for fourth-generation connectivity.

LTE subscriptions are likely to reach 14 million in 2013, nearly doubling from the current 7 million level, the country’s top mobile carrier said in a press release.

The projection comes amid a surge in LTE subscriptions. SK Telecom recently saw LTE subscriptions hit the 7-million mark, 17 months after it commercialized the mobile network in July 2011.

The portion of LTE subscribers in its total subscription base also surged 11-fold to 26 percent from 2.4 percent at the end of 2011, according to SK Telecom.

SK Telecom currently stands as the world’s third-largest provider of LTE services. U.S. mobile carrier Verizon Wireless first achieved the 7-million mark in February and Japan’s NTT DoCoMo followed suit in November.

Meanwhile, global LTE subscriptions are expected to hit 50 million this year, surging more than five-fold from last year’s 9 million, according to U.S.-based research firm Parks Associates. (Yonhap News)