Asia Pacific fixed-broadband market to hit 200 million subs in 2010

Singapore – June 10, 2010 – According to the latest figures from Informa Telecoms & Media, the Asia Pacific fixed-broadband market is looking certain to hit the 200 million subscriber mark by the end of 2010, mainly powered by China which is set to add at least 20 million new subscriptions this year.

“China’s fixed-broadband subscriber growth will receive a huge boost from China Mobile’s extensive rollout of FTTH services in key urban markets, thereby introducing competition to the fixed-broadband market for the first time in many areas of the country,” says Tony Brown, senior analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media.“What’s more, competition in the Chinese market will be further boosted by the country’s cable operators expansion of their cable modem services as they look to cash in on the government’s Three Network Convergence policy aimed at promoting convergence.”

The other major growth market in the Asia Pacific region, India, was the second biggest market in the region in 2009 in terms of adding new subscribers, with the market adding 2.15 million subscribers, down from 2.35 million in 2008, with the Indian market finishing 2009 with just over 10 million subscribers – representing household penetration of just 3.5%.

“On its current growth rates India will very likely pass 10 million fixed-broadband subscribers by end-2010, although subscriber growth will be further boosted once WiMAX licensees begin to launch commercial services in 2011,” says Brown.

Elsewhere, Vietnam is rapidly establishing itself as one of the fastest growing countries in the region’s fixed-broadband market adding 916,000 subscribers in 2009, up from 815,000 in 2008, to take the total to 2.96 million subscribers. Indeed, on its current growth rates the Vietnam fixed-broadband market looks set to increase to well beyond 4 million by end-2010, taking household penetration towards the 20% mark, with increasing take-up fuelled by the rollout of services in new areas.

Meanwhile, the Japanese and South Korean markets continue to be among the fastest growing in the region in terms of new subscribers joining the market, despite the fact that both markets are already heavily penetrated.

For its part, the Japanese market added 1.5 million new subscriptions in 2009, down from 1.8 million in 2008, to take its total subs base to 31.6 million at end-2009, representing household penetration of 65%.

Meanwhile, the South Korean market added 966,000 in 2009, up from 616,000 in 2008, to take its total fixed-broadband subs base to 16.4 million, a household penetration of 97.2%.