The US has finally caught up with Western Europe in terms of 3G uptake according to analyst Comscore. Penetration now stands at just over 28 per cent on both sides of the Atlantic, as the number of US subscribers with 3G enabled devices grew by 80 per cent 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. The only individual major European countries exceeding the US in 3G penetration are Italy and Spain where penetration now stands at 38 and 37 per cent respectively.

“For years, the American mobile industry has aspired to the level of sophistication of the European market,” said Mark Donovan, senior vice president and senior analyst at Comscore. “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.”

Italy’s lead as Europe’s 3G powerhouse is under threat. According to Comscore the number of Spanish subscribers with 3G enabled devices grew 75 per cent year on year to 12.6 million. This dwarfs the 24.5 per cent growth rate in Italian carriers experienced. The number of 3G subscribers in Italy stands at 18 million.

According to Comscore France is Western Europe’s 3G laggard with just over 17 per cent penetration. 3G growth rate in France is about five per cent less than the European average of 46 per cent.