UK Enters The Global Top Ten For DSL Broadband

Across the world almost 28 million new homes and businesses signed up for high-speed interest connections during 2003, a growth of 78%, to 63 million. Across Western Europe there was an extra 8.3 million DSL subscribers, and that region is now the second largest growth area, after South and East Asia.

DSL Broadband is now delivered by over 6% of the world’s phone lines – compared to 3.9% at the end of 2002. Asia-Pacific still accounts for the largest proportion of the global DSL market, with Western Europe beginning to close the gap.

The growth of DSL broadband in 2003 exceeded predictions and outstrips the growth of mobile phones at its height. The level of penetration suggests that DSL will continue to extend its lead as the world’s number one broadband technology in 2004.

Tom Starr, president of the DSL Forum, said: “We are confident that the industry is well on the way to achieving the DSL Forum’s global target of 200 million DSL subscribers – 20% of all phone lines – by the end of 2005.”

A recent report by Screen Digest predicted that the UK would be the best in Europe for high-speed internet access, and forecast that by the end of 2008 12.7 million – half of all UK homes – will have broadband connections. The majority (8.5 million) will access broadband services via telephone (DSL) and the rest via cable.

British Telecom pledged last month to make high-speed broadband internet services available to 90% of the UK population by this summer, with total coverage planned for 2005 (see BT Aims For Total UK Broadband Coverage By 2005).

Global Ranking For Broadband DSL Penetration (end 2003)
Global Ranking	Country	DSL Subscribers	DSL Per 100 Phone Lines
1	China	10,950,000	5.1
2	Japan	10,272,052	14.4
3	USA	9,119,000	4.8
4	South Korea	6,435,955	27.7
5	Germany	4,500,000	8.4
6	France	3,262,700	9.6
7	Taiwan	2,800,000	21.4
8	Italy	2,280,000	8.3
9	Canada	2,170,243	10.9
10	UK	1,820,230	5.2
Source: Point Topic