According to Japan's TCA (Telecommunications Carriers Association), Japanese 3G subscribers topped 50% of the total number of mobile phone subscriptions at the end of February, reaching 50.6%. The number of 3G subscribers reached 45.9 million, while the total number of mobile phone subscriptions amounted to 90.8 million. The growth in 3G subscribers was attributed to consumer demand for new handset models and a decline in service prices.