On the whole, the global FTTH/B market continues to make strides. Growth in 2008 was steady, with close to 8 million new subscribers (+37% over the past 12 months) bringing the number of FTTH/B subscribers around the world to just over 29 million at the end of 2008, of which close to 80% are located in Asia.

Asia is the continent with the largest number of FTTH/B subscribers (22.7 million). Among the ten countries with the biggest FTTH/B subscriber bases, five are in Asia (Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan and China), one is in North America and four are in Europe.

Two Asian countries in particular, namely Japan and South Korea, stand out and are rivalled only by the US in terms of users: they are the only three nations with over a million FTTH/B subscribers.

Thanks to its large population, the United States is expected to eventually catch up, especially if we include VDSL systems. According to IDATE, FTTH/B subscribers in the United States will outnumber South Korean subscribers by 2011 – although Asia will remain the biggest market, in large part due to a huge upswing in users in China around 2012.

• 3^rd Assises du Très Haut Débit – 9 June, Paris (Senate)
  For the third consecutive year, IDATE is organising a one-day conference devoted ultra-fast broadband, in partnership with Aromates. This year’s topic is: “Towards a digital New Deal”.

• FTTx Summit 2009 – 10 June, Munich, Germany
  Renewing its partnership with this important event, IDATE will take part in Session 2 at 2 p.m. on the topic of “Market Analysis – Developing accurate cost models for FTTH”.

In terms of operators, the gap between Asia and the rest of the world is still considerable: among the globe’s ten largest FTTx operators, six are Asian, two are North American and two are European.

Only six operators in the world have a base of more than a million subscribers, four of which are Asian operators and the other two are based in North America. NTT is the largest FTTx operator with a base of 10.6 million subscribers or a 73% share of the Japanese market and a close to 37% share of the global market.

Discover IDATE’s FTTx Watch Service www.idate-research.com

Specially designed to provide users with a global database of FTTx markets and projects, along with thorough analysis of the issues surrounding this promising market:

• Database: a unique and regularly updated database of the markets, broken down by country (45) and technology, along with forecasts for the coming months and years.
• Insights: monthly analysis of key issues.
• Quarterly market updates: Technologies, operator strategies, business models…

About IDATE www.idate.org

Founded in 1977, IDATE is one of Europe’s foremost market analysis and consulting firms, whose mission is to provide assistance in strategic decision-making for its clients in the Telecom, Internet and Media industries, through the following two areas of activity:

Consulting & Research

• An independent consultancy: IDATE has established its credibility and independence in conducting consultancy and study assignments on behalf of its clients: market reports (techno-economic monitoring, modelling and forecasts, sector-specific analysis, surveys); international benchmarking (positioning studies, convergence strategies, competition analysis); public policies (public policy definition and assessment, socio-economic impact, project implementation and management, regulatory benchmarking).
• Analysis reports: IDATE’s clients benefit from the knowledge and expertise of its teams of specialists, and from its ongoing investment in its information and strategic monitoring system: publication of reports, databases, online services, analyst hotline…

DigiWorld Programme

IDATE is also instrumental in providing a forum for international debate between the industry’s key players through its annual DigiWorld programme, supported by its members representing the sector’s most prominent companies:

• DigiWorld Network
  
  A series of monthly meetings in European capitals and international business trips

• DigiWorld Events
  
  The DigiWorld Summit annual conference and a series of associated seminars devoted to the year’s central issues

• DigiWorld Publishing
  
  The DigiWorld Yearbook and the DigiWorld Economic Journal (Communications & Strategies)