215M Broadband users by end of 2005

[Acert93]

http://www.tomshardware.com/hardnews/20050405_154152.html

Broadband continues its rapid growth: 26.5 million new lines were installed in the second half of 2004 alone, bringing the total number to 150.5 million. By the end of this year, there will be more than 215 million active broadband accounts, market researchers said.

Point-Topic, a British market research firm that tracks the worldwide development of broadband connections, reported high-speed Internet connections to gain popularity at an increasing speed. For 2004, more than 50 million new lines were installed on a worldwide basis, breaking the 150-million mark by the end of last year. Between July and December, 26.5 million new accounts were activated, representing the biggest half-year worldwide increase to date, according to Point-Topic.

The United States remain the world's largest broadband country with 33.9 million lines.

 

[Acert93]

I thought this would be more interesting to people here

Just to throw out some bad numbers... if there are 150M broadband users now, that means they are expecting a 65M user growth in 2005 (43%). With the US having 34M users, if we take a conservative guess of 35% growth in the states that means we could be looking at 46M users in the US by the end of 2005.

If you put that in perspective of the new consoles I think it boads well for online games. Early adoporters are much more likely to have broadband. That said I would guess in 2005 and 2006 a lot of people picking up a X2, PS3, or Rev will have broad band. And by the time they hit mainstream in 2007 and 2008 we could be looking at broad band penetration in the US being in the 60M or 70M range. All guestimates of course

I still am very pestimistic toward MS 80% goal for LIVE!, but who knows. I never thought we would see 65M (or even 50M) new broadband customers in one year. We may have finally turned the corner... now if they can only find out a solution for last mile customers.

 

[jvd]

tell me how many have foi


I want foi .. they are installing it all around me ... but i can't get it ... i'm sad

 

[London Geezer]

huh? foi? wot dat?

 

[jvd]

fiber optic internet

15/2 through your phone line .

http://www.tcomschool.ohiou.edu/its_pgs/fiber.html

its only 40$ for my sister ... damn her for living so close to passic !

 

[Acert93]

What, no love for "Broadband over Powerline" or "Non line-of-site Wireless"?

Hopefully more and more high bandwidth / low latency solutions are rolled out. The more availability = lower costs and higher market penetration.