DSL Dominates Now, But Fibre to Reach 8% of Homes By 2013

LONDON, UK - 10 June 2009 – Against the backdrop of a maturing broadband market and a challenging economic environment, Western European broadband is in relatively good health, according to a report just published by analyst firm Strategy Analytics.   The report, “Western Europe Broadband Forecast: 1H2009,” predicts that Western European Broadband Service Providers will achieve 115 million subscribers by the end of 2009, and nearly 150 million by 2013. 

61% of Western European households had broadband connectivity in their homes at the end of 2008; this number will grow to exceed 80% by 2013, according to the report.  The majority of these connections are through DSL technology, though given the ambitious fibre roll-outs in the region, Strategy Analytics foresees the Fibre (FTTx) share of connections growing to 9% by 2013.

“The excitement in the Western European market today is clearly about Fibre,” said Ben Piper, Director of the Strategy Analytics Multiplay Market Dynamics Service.  “As France, Germany, and other countries position themselves for major fibre roll-outs, we are forecasting the total number of FTTx connections in Western Europe to grow by 47% in the next five years.” 

Broadband Market Forecast: W. Europe

Source: Strategy Analytics’ Multiplay Market Dynamics service, June 2009

The report provides in-depth market coverage for sixteen European countries, and provides history and forecasts for key metrics including: Households, PC Penetration, Internet Access Subscriptions, Household Internet Access Penetration, Broadband Subscriptions, Household Broadband Access Penetration, Broadband Users, Dial-up vs Broadband splits, Service Revenues, ARPU, and Subscriptions by Technology Platform (xDSL, Cable, FTTx, and fixed wireless/WiMax).

Analyst Blog: www.strategyanalytics.com/blogs/author/dmercer