The number of fixed broadband subscribers – DSL, cable broadband, FTTH, and FTTB+LAN – will approach 1 billion worldwide in 2019, according to excerpts from IHS-Infonetics Research’s new “FTTH, DSL, and Cable Subscribers” report.
The worldwide population of fixed broadband subscribers rose 8 percent in 2014 to reach 733 million, according to IHS-Infonetics. “This is a reflection of the importance of broadband connectivity in the daily lives of individuals and businesses, governments and other organizations,” IHS-Infonetics’ research director for broadband access and pay-TV Jeff Heynen commented in a news release.
“Broadband has become a consumer-driven industry. Consumers essentially saved the fixed broadband business by bringing on Netflix and other streaming video services, and now broadband providers are consistently investing in higher-end FTTX and DOCSIS 3.0 technologies to keep those innovators happy,” Heynen said.
Other highlights of IHS-Infonetics’ new broadband subscriber report include:
- Though DSL remains far and away the largest technology choice for fixed broadband, subscriber growth is being driven by FTTH and DOCSIS 3.0;
- Total FTTH subscribers jumped 22 percent in 2014 from 2013, crossing the 100 million threshold for the first time;
- Asia-Pacific holds 50 percent of the world’s fixed broadband subscribers and continues to experience significant subscriber growth thanks to China, Southeast Asia and emerging markets where broadband penetration continues to increase;
- China Telecom is the worldwide broadband subscriber market share leader;
- Infonetics/IHS forecasts global fixed broadband subscribers to grow at a 5 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2014 to 2019, led by China, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.
