The UK has dropped from 13th to 14th place in broadband penetration worldwide, during the last quarter of 2008. The US dropped out of the top 20 entirely during the same time period, according to a recent Point Topic survey. Meanwhile US broadband penetration dropped to 93.13% among active Internet users. This is the second month in a row that US broadband penetration has fallen.
UK Broadband Penetration Drops to 14th Place Worldwide
The UK has dropped from 13th to 14th place in broadband penetration by population from Q3 to Q4 2008 (see Figure 1). The Bailiwick of Guernsey jumped ahead of the UK and Canada to 13th place. Canada dropped from 14th to 15th place worldwide, since our last worldwide broadband report. The US dropped off the top 20 in Q4 2008. Monaco still leads all countries surveyed in broadband penetration by population with 45.6% penetration. Luxembourg has 40.4% of the population on broadband, Denmark has 37.4%, the Netherlands has 35.7%, followed by Iceland at 35.6% penetration by population.
Figure 1: Broadband Penetration by Population, Top 20 Countries – Q3 – Q4 2008
Source: Point Topic, LTD
Broadband Penetration by Household
Three countries surveyed actually had household penetration rates greater than 100%. Monaco (112.3%), Luxembourg (101%), and Hong Kong (100.9%) all had household penetration rates greater than 100% (see Figure 2). Presumably this is due to multiple broadband lines per residence. Canada ranks 19th worldwide in household broadband penetration at 75.1%.
Figure 2: Broadband Penetration by Household, Top 20 Countries – Q3 – Q4 2008
Source: Point Topic, LTD
Belarus Leads World in Broadband Growth
Belarus had the highest quarterly growth in broadband lines of 32.3%, from Q3 to Q4 2008 (see Figure 3). Indonesia followed with 26.2% quarterly growth,
followed by Cyprus at 16.9%, the Philippines at 15%, and Vietnam at 12.9%.
Figure 3: Broadband Penetration by Household, Top 20 Countries – Q3 – Q4 2008
Source: Point Topic, LTD
Home Connectivity in the US
US broadband penetration dropped to 93.13% in March 2009. Dial-up users connecting at 56Kbps or less now make up 6.87% of active Internet users (see Figure 4).
Figure 4: Web Connection Speed Trends – Home Users (US)
Source: Nielsen Online
Broadband Growth Trends in the US
In March 2009, broadband penetration among active Internet users in US homes dropped to 93.13%, the second straight decrease from the high of 93.38% in January 2009 (see Figure 5).
Figure 5. Broadband Adoption Growth Trend – Home Users (US)
Extrapolated from Nielsen Online data
Work Connectivity
As of March 2009, 97.19% of US workers connected to the Internet with broadband, down 0.03 percentage points from the 97.22% share in February. At work, 2.81% connect at 56Kbps or less (see Figure 6).
Figure 6: Web Connection Speed Trends – Work Users (US)
Source: Nielsen Online
Further Reading
- Nielsen Online
- Provided the US broadband penetration data for active Internet users for the Bandwidth Report.
- Point Topic, LTD
- Supplied the data for the worldwide broadband penetration graphs, from “World Broadband Statistics, Q4 2008” by Fiona Vanier.