VoIP Spurring Worldwide Demand For Broadband

Telecom Policy Report, Sept 24, 2003

By year-end 2002, broadband services were commercially available in approximately 82 out of 200 economies worldwide. Many of these economies have enjoyed impressive growth in broadband subscriber numbers during the past four years, and in some markets broadband is expected to become one of the fastest growing consumer communications services. For example, in the United States, broadband is likely to reach the 25 percent penetration mark more quickly than either PCs or mobile telephones have in the past.

The vast majority of broadband users today are in the developed world. However, as the cost of the service becomes cheaper, some developing countries may be able to use wireless broadband technology to leapfrog ahead of the traditional wireline infrastructure. Instead of waiting for wireline services, which can be costly to deploy, they can potentially use broadband to develop an integrated voice, data and video network, Kelly said

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