Press
Release
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International Telecommunication Union
For immediate release
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Telephone: +41 22 730 6039
Fax: +41 22 730 5939
E-mail: pressinfo@itu.int
Website: itu.int/newsroom
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Number of global broadband subscribers grows 72% in 2002
Republic of Korea, Hong Kong (China) and Canada top
the list
Geneva, 16 September 2003 — The number of
worldwide broadband subscribers grew 72 percent in 2002 to approximately
63 million, according to a report issued today by the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU). The Republic of Korea leads the way in
broadband penetration, with approximately 21 broadband subscribers for
every 100 inhabitants. Hong Kong (China) ranks second in the world with
nearly 15 broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants and Canada ranks third
with just over 11 broadband subscribers per 100 inhabitants. Home users
are driving the vast majority of broadband demand in all markets.
“Broadband is arriving at a time when the
revolutionary potential of the Internet has still to be fully tapped,”
said Dr. Tim Kelly, Head of the Strategy and Policy Unit at ITU.
“However, while broadband is accelerating the integration of the
Internet into our daily lives, it is not a major industry driver in the
same way that mobile cellular and the Internet were in the 1990s. It’s
an incremental improvement, offering Internet access that is faster, more
convenient and cheaper than ever before.”
One reason for the sharp increase in broadband
subscribers is the growing demand for faster Internet speeds. Broadband
services provide Internet connections that are at least five times faster
than earlier dial-up technologies, enabling users to play online games and
download music and videos, as well as share files and access information
much faster and more efficiently than before. In many markets, increased
competition among broadband service providers has also triggered lower
prices for consumers, boosting demand and making broadband access more
affordable.
Early evidence suggests that broadband access may
also help fuel consumer spending, according to the report. Around the
world, there is a positive relationship between broadband penetration and
monthly spending on communications services. For example, the Republic of
Korea, which ranks number one in broadband penetration worldwide, enjoys
the second highest level of monthly telecommunications spending after
Switzerland. Other economies with high rates of broadband penetration,
such as Canada and Iceland, also have above average levels of consumer
telecommunications spending.
For businesses, the new generation of broadband
services competes very effectively with leased lines, which have
traditionally served the corporate sector. In fact, in some markets,
broadband can be up to 111 times cheaper, per megabyte per second, than
today’s private network options. The cost savings alone suggest a major
incentive for business and government users to shift to broadband. With
its increased speed and efficiency, broadband also offers an excellent
infrastructure for e-government and e-education services, such as online
driver’s license renewals, electronic tax filing, and online library and
learning resources.
“The dot.com boom was driven by the expectation
that the Internet would create a large market for electronic commerce,
on-demand content, and online applications,” said Kelly. “Broadband
brings this expectation one step closer to reality by offering faster
speeds and a better platform for the development of content services. In
other words, the reality is finally starting to catch up with the market
hype.”
Today, approximately one in every 10 Internet
subscribers worldwide, or just over 5 percent of the total installed base
of fixed lines worldwide, has a dedicated broadband connection. However,
many more people share the benefits of high-speed Internet access through
a local area network (LAN) at work or at school. In the Republic of Korea,
which is approximately three years ahead of the global average in
converting Internet users to broadband, broadband subscribers represent 94
percent of total Internet subscribers.
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. For example, in Bhutan, wireless broadband technologies are
currently used to provide basic voice telephone access. Broadband
technologies have connected villages that previously were out of range of
traditional telephone service.
“Around the world, access to knowledge and
information is quickly becoming the major driver of growth and
development,” said Kelly. “Broadband will help accelerate this process
by enabling multiple applications across a single network, bringing down
prices and radically changing the economics of access.”
“Birth of Broadband” is the fifth in the series
of “ITU Internet Reports”, originally launched in 1997. This edition
has been specially prepared for the ITU TELECOM World 2003 Event, to be
held in Geneva from 12 to 18 October 2003. As one of the ‘hot topics’
of the telecommunication industry in 2003, broadband is expected to be one
of the highlights of this year’s show. This new report examines the
emergence of high-speed, dedicated Internet connections that will greatly
expand the world’s access to information. Broadband will also facilitate
the long-expected convergence of three previously distinct technologies:
computing, communications and broadcasting. A limited number of press
copies of the report are available on demand from the ITU Press
Office.Your request should be emailed to pressinfo@itu.int. To be eligible for press
copies media not yet accredited for ITU Telecom
World 2003 are required to submit a copy of a valid press card or a
recent copy of the page of the publication (list of credits for TV/radio)
which provides the names of regular editorial staff and contributors and
which lists the journalist requesting a press copy to be eligible for a press copy.
For more information please contact:
Keith Stimpson
Media Relations Manager
ITU Telecom
Tel: +41 22 730 5260
Fax:
+41 22 730 6923
E-mail:
keith.stimpson@itu.int
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Kathleen Maksymec
Media Relations Manager
ITU Telecom
Tel: +41 22 730 5229
Fax:
+41 22 730 6923
E-mail:
kathleen.maksymec@itu.int
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Editor’s
Note
The
ITU TELECOM WORLD
03 Forum, which takes place in Geneva, Switzerland from October 12-18,
will include three sessions, which will offer more discussion and debate
on broadband. The Forum session ”Technologies for Broadband” is
scheduled for Monday, October 13, from 14:30 to 16:00. The session “New
Models for Broadband Content” will take place Thursday, October 16, from
14:30 to 16:00. Also taking place on October 16 is “The Business of
Broadband,” which is scheduled from 16:30 to 18:00. For more information
on ITU Telecom World 2003,
please visit: http://www.itu.int/WORLD2003/
Media accreditation
Media accreditation for ITU Telecom
World 2003 is available at: www.itu.int/WORLD2003/media/accreditation/media_accreditation.html
Accreditation for industry analysts is available at: www.itu.int/WORLD2003/media/accreditation/analyst_accreditation.html
All journalists and industry analysts that wish to
benefit from the media services need to be accredited.
About ITU
ITU is a world-wide organization which brings
governments and industry together to coordinate the establishment and
operation of global telecommunication networks and services; it is
responsible for standardization, coordination and development of
international telecommunications including radiocommunications, as well as
the harmonization of national policies.
To fulfil its mission, ITU adopts international
regulations and treaties governing all terrestrial and space uses of the
frequency spectrum as well as the use of all satellite orbits which serve
as a framework for national legislations; it develops standards to foster
the interconnection of telecommunication systems on a worldwide scale
regardless of the type of technology used; it also fosters the development
of telecommunications in developing countries.
ITU also organizes worldwide and regional exhibitions
and forums bringing together the most influential representatives of
government and the telecommunications industry to exchange ideas,
knowledge and technology for the benefit of the global community, and in
particular the developing world.
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