Broadband connections continue to rise, increasing their market share and making up 64.2% of all connections in December 2005, up from 62.3% in November 2005.
In comparison, dial-up connections over the same period decreased, with a year on year decline of 34.1% to December 2005 and a monthly drop of 5.2% from November to December 2005. Dial-up now accounts for 35.8% of all internet connections.
According to the latest figures from the Office of National Statistics, the index of all connections rose by 5.6% between December 2004 and 2005, with a slight monthly drop of 0.1% between November and December 2005.
Broadband’s market share of connections has been increasing since the index began, reflecting the technology’s growth in popularity, affordability and widespread availability.
This trend is mirrored in the US, with recent data from Ipsos Public Affairs showing that 37% of online households used dial-up by December 2005, compared to 61% using broadband (see Consumers Still Use Dial-Up).
New estimates from the Yankee Group claim that dial-up will gradually decline over the rest of the decade, accounting for less than 20 million online households by 2009, representing less than 30% of all households with internet access. Broadband is expected to gain from dial-up’s decline as well as attracting new internet subscribers.
WPP’s recent OgilvyOne Report revealed that Europe has overtaken North America as the second largest broadband market in the world (see Europe Pushes Broadband Uptake Forward).
According to the report, by the end of 2006, the top three countries in terms of broadband penetration will be the Netherlands at 56%, Switzerland with 51% and Denmark at 49%.
Total online household penetration in Western Europe is forecast to reach 63% by 2010, with 93% of online households expected to use broadband to access the internet.
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