Demand for broadband services worldwide remains high, attracting millions of new subscribers each month, according to high-tech market research firm In-Stat.
Over the past 12 months, about 80 million new broadband subscribers signed up for high-speed access to the Internet, said In-Stat. In terms of broadband access technologies, digital subscriber line (DSL) technologies continue to serve the greatest number of broadband subscribers worldwide, accounting for 55 percent of total broadband connections.
Among the factors contributing to growing demand for broadband are the increasing popularity of watching TV programming online, playing online games and downloading music files, said In-Stat analyst Mike Paxton.
Findings of In-Stat’s recently published “Worldwide Broadband Subscriber Forecast” reveal:
- As of September 2008, there were 452 million broadband subscribers worldwide.
- By 2012, worldwide broadband subscribers will reach 876 million, almost twice the size of the current subscriber base.
- At the beginning of 2008, DSL, mobile wireless and cable modem service were the leading broadband access technologies, providing 93 percent of all worldwide broadband connections.
- As of September 2008, 100 million people subscribed to broadband service in the United States.
- Based on the current subscriber growth rate, the United States is adding about 1 million broadband subscribers each month.
For more information, visit www.in-stat.com.
