The global internet population will grow more than 45% over the next five years, to 2.2 billion, according to a new report from Forrester Research.
Nearly half of all European Internet users are currently clustered the UK, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy, said Forrester. Within these five markets, internet penetration is highest in the UK at 69%.
The UK online population is predicted to grow from 41.3 million to 48.7 million, a rise of 81%, from 2008 to 2013.
The US, meanwhile, is forecast to be overtaken by China in 2013, which will enjoy 13% growth each year for the next five years.
In April, Point Topic increased its forecast for the number of fixed broadband lines in the world by the end of 2009 from 493 million to 496 million (see Global broadband lines to reach 496m by end of 2009).
Elsewhere, Informa Telecoms & Media revealed that global fixed broadband subscriptions stood at 422 million at the end of 2008, adding nearly 68 million subscriptions in the year and 16 million in the final quarter (see Global fixed broadband subscriptions hit 422m in 2008).
