The cellular modem market has taken many years to develop, but by the end of 2006 it will reach a notable milestone, with annual shipments to exceed 5 mln units, reports In-Stat. This market got a boost from embedded cellular modems in laptop computers, a class of modem only introduced toward the end of 2005. Embedded cellular modems should account for more than 10% of total modem shipments in 2006. The cellular modem market will grow more than 500% over the next 5 years. For the first time, in 2006, the number of cellular modems sold in Europe exceeds the number sold in North America. In 2005, Asia’s share of the cellular modem market almost doubled over the previous year.