After a slow start the US has caught up with Western Europe in terms of 3G device adoption, according to new research from comScore.

ComScore says 28.4 per cent of US mobile subscribers use 3G devices, compared to a 28.3 per cent average among the five biggest western European nations.

However, the research doesn't break down how many of these devices are actually attached to 3G subscriptions.

The total number of US subscribers using 3G devices has grown by 80 per cent to 64.2 million during the past year, due to increased network rollout and new handset launches.

The only major European countries that still exceed the US in terms of 3G device penetration are Italy and Spain.

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Mark Donovan, ComScore's SVP, said: “For years, the American mobile industry has aspired to the level of sophistication of European market. Today, Americans have finally caught up with Europeans in adoption of 3G. The advancements in 3G network technology and the introduction of sleek devices in to the US market have paid off as adoption of mobile media continues to grow at a rapid pace.”