Study Says Broadband Growth Remains Robust

Communications Today, July 23, 2002

The number of worldwide broadband subscribers topped the 30 million mark earlier this year and will surpass 46 million total subscribers by the end of 2002, according to a report released Monday by information research company In-Stat/MDR.

In its study "Broadband 2002: DSL & Cable Modem Services Fuel WorldWide Subscriber Growth," the company said DSL has become the premier broadband access technology in the international market while cable modem service continues to do well in the United States. In-Stat said the availability of broadband access remains the single greatest challenge to long-term broadband growth, since the majority of the world's telecom infrastructure cannot yet support broadband access technologies.

Other broadband access technologies like satellite broadband, fiber-to-the-home and fixed wireless service remains bit players in the world of broadband, the study said. The three services account for only 5 percent of current worldwide broadband subscribers, In-Stat said.