Broadband Adoption Growth on the Rise Again

Broadband growth is accelerating globally again, as the data for the third quarter of 2010 shows. After a slowdown in new broadband subscribers in Q2, the rate is picking up again and is expected reach record numbers in the current quarter.

"Across the major segments of DSL, cable and fiber, the number of new broadband subscribers worldwide in the third quarter is projected to rise by 5.8 percent to reach 16.5 million, iSuppli data show, overcoming the seasonal downward pull of the previous period when subscribers tumbled by 6.6 percent to 15.6 million," research company iSuppli says.

A big part of the growth is due to China, already the country with the biggest number of internet and broadband subscribers in the world.

With a population that's roughly one quarter of planet's and a rapidly growing economy and urbanization, that's hardly surprising.

"All told, the projected third-quarter totals will show that the market nearly caught up to the first-quarter figure of 16.7 million. Furthermore, the bounce-back appears to be a prelude to even loftier levels predicted for the final quarter of 2010 as global broadband subscribers rise by 7.3 percent to reach 17.7 million," iSuppli added.

Along with China, which accounted for 35 percent of new broadband subscribers, close to 6 million - a figure which has been mostly maintained throughout the year - Europe is the second biggest region, with 26 percent of new subscribers.

If the estimates prove accurate, there will be over 50 million new broadband subscribers in 2010.

Of course, with broadband speeds increasing at a blistering pace, even in less competitive countries such as the US, the notion of 'broadband' begins to lose its weight.

Many connections would qualify as broadband around the world, based on early speed requirements, even though they are significantly slower than the latest offerings.