Ultra-fast broadband revenues to double in five years

Ultra high-speed lines represented 22% of broadband subscriptions globally in mid-2013 and revenues from ultra-fast broadband will grow by 95% over the next five years to reach €182 billion by 2017, according to research by IDATE.

According to the French research group, eastern Europe will see its take-up rate increase from 28% at the end of 2012 to 49% in five years, while western Europe will see its take-up rate increase from 21% to 32%.

Fibre-to-the-home represented 66% of FTTx subscriptions in mid-2013, while fibre-to-the-last-amplifier accounted for 22% and fibre-to-the-node and VDSL for 12%.

Fibre-to-the-home or building is the technology of choice in the Asia Pacific region, while FTTLA heads deployments and western Europe and North America, according to the group.

Six Asian and four North American firms make up the world’s top 10 fibre operators, according to IDATE, led by NTT with 18.3 million subscribers and China Telecom with 15 million.

The top five VDSL countries, according to IDATE, are the US, with 9.4 million subscribers, the UK, with 1.7 million, Germany with 1.461 million, Switzerland with 1.46 million and Canada with 1.4 million.

The leading FTTH/B countries are China with 32.4 million subscribers, Japan with 24.294 million, South Korea with 11.63 million, the US with nine million and Russia with 8.289 million.