While virtually every country on Earth is racing to connect more people faster, the vast gulf between the most and least connected remains staggering, as evidenced by a global tapestry where South Korea's households enjoy near-universal 450GB-per-month fiber and Nigeria's fixed broadband penetration languishes below 1%.
Key Takeaways
- As of Q4 2023, US fixed broadband subscribers reached 126.5 million, up 2.1% year-over-year, with cable providers holding 62% market share.
- Globally, fixed broadband subscriptions hit 1.42 billion in 2023, averaging 17.8 per 100 inhabitants, led by Europe at 36.4 per 100.
- In the EU27, 89% of households had fixed broadband access in 2023, with fiber connections growing to 27% of total subscriptions.
- In 2023, median US fixed broadband download speed was 242.14 Mbps, up 28% YoY.
- Global average fixed broadband download speed reached 95.5 Mbps in H2 2023, led by Singapore at 370 Mbps.
- EU average fixed broadband speed 145 Mbps download in 2023, with latency under 20 ms.
- Worldwide FTTP coverage reached 2.1 billion homes passed in 2023.
- US fiber broadband homes passed grew to 85 million in Q1 2024, 25% YoY increase.
- EU FTTH/B coverage at 68% of households in 2023, gigabit at 62%.
- Global fixed broadband capex reached $285 billion in 2023.
- US broadband market revenue $125 billion in 2023, CAGR 4.2% to 2028.
- EU telecom capex on fixed networks €45 billion in 2023.
- FCC classifies broadband as 100/20 Mbps minimum since 2024.
- EU Digital Decade target 100% gigabit coverage by 2030, 75% by 2025.
- South Korea mandates 1Gbps nationwide by 2022, achieved 95% in 2023.
Fixed broadband grows globally with significant speed and coverage improvements.
Adoption & Usage
- As of Q4 2023, US fixed broadband subscribers reached 126.5 million, up 2.1% year-over-year, with cable providers holding 62% market share.
- Globally, fixed broadband subscriptions hit 1.42 billion in 2023, averaging 17.8 per 100 inhabitants, led by Europe at 36.4 per 100.
- In the EU27, 89% of households had fixed broadband access in 2023, with fiber connections growing to 27% of total subscriptions.
- South Korea boasts 96.2% fixed broadband penetration among households as of 2023, with average monthly data usage at 450 GB per subscriber.
- India's fixed broadband subscribers surged to 36.8 million by March 2024, a 22% increase YoY, but penetration remains at just 2.6%.
- In Q2 2024, Brazil had 45.2 million fixed broadband users, with average revenue per user (ARPU) at BRL 58.3.
- UK fixed broadband connections totaled 27.8 million in H1 2024, with full-fiber (FTTP) at 14.2% of the base.
- Australia reported 8.7 million fixed broadband services in June 2024, NBN Co delivering 70% of them with median speeds over 100 Mbps.
- Germany had 32.4 million fixed broadband households in 2023, with 45% on fiber or VDSL vectoring.
- Japan’s fixed broadband penetration reached 99.8% in 2023, with 10Gbps services available to 20 million premises.
- Canada fixed broadband subscriptions grew to 15.6 million in 2023, 84% household penetration.
- In rural US areas, broadband adoption stood at 82.4% of households in 2023, versus 96.1% urban.
- China fixed broadband users numbered 618 million in 2023, with 5G fixed-wireless adding 12 million.
- France had 30.1 million fixed broadband lines in 2023, FTTH covering 52% of homes.
- Worldwide mobile broadband subscriptions exceeded 6.4 billion in 2023, 80% unique subscribers.
- In Africa, fixed broadband penetration averaged 2.1 per 100 in 2023, mobile at 49.3.
- US Hispanic households broadband adoption at 89.2% in 2023, Asian at 95.6%.
- Nigeria fixed broadband subs at 1.8 million in Q1 2024, penetration 0.8%.
- Singapore 100% fixed broadband coverage, 2.3 million subscriptions in 2023.
- Russia 45.6 million fixed broadband users in 2023, GPON share 28%.
Adoption & Usage Interpretation
While nations proudly boast about their fiber future, the world's broadband map reveals a jarring digital divide where some regions sprint ahead on 10Gbps lines while others are still waiting for the dial-up equivalent of a permission slip.
Economic & Market
- Global fixed broadband capex reached $285 billion in 2023.
- US broadband market revenue $125 billion in 2023, CAGR 4.2% to 2028.
- EU telecom capex on fixed networks €45 billion in 2023.
- South Korea broadband ARPU $28/month, highest globally in 2023.
- India fixed broadband market $6.5 billion in FY2024, 25% growth.
- Brazil broadband revenue BRL 45 billion in 2023, fixed 55% share.
- UK fixed broadband market £9.2 billion in 2023, FTTP driving 15% growth.
- Australia NBN wholesale revenue AUD 5.2 billion FY2024.
- Germany fixed broadband revenue €18.5 billion in 2023.
- Japan broadband market ¥4.2 trillion in 2023, fiber 70% revenue.
- Canada broadband industry $15 billion CAD in 2023.
- US BEAD program allocates $42.5 billion for rural broadband.
- China telecom capex CNY 500 billion in 2023, 40% on fixed broadband.
- France fixed broadband ARPU €32/month in 2023.
- Global fiber optic market $12.8 billion in 2023, CAGR 9.5%.
- Africa broadband market $15 billion in 2023, mobile dominant at 85%.
- US cable MSO capex $10 billion on DOCSIS 4.0 upgrades 2023.
- Nigeria broadband revenue NGN 1.2 trillion in 2023.
- Singapore fixed broadband pricing lowest globally at $20/month for 1Gbps.
- Russia broadband market RUB 450 billion in 2023.
Economic & Market Interpretation
The world is frantically burying a quarter of a trillion dollars in cables to keep us all arguing online, yet somehow we still can’t agree on whether to call it Wi-Fi.
Infrastructure & Coverage
- Worldwide FTTP coverage reached 2.1 billion homes passed in 2023.
- US fiber broadband homes passed grew to 85 million in Q1 2024, 25% YoY increase.
- EU FTTH/B coverage at 68% of households in 2023, gigabit at 62%.
- South Korea 92% FTTH coverage, 10G-PON piloted in 10 cities 2023.
- India fiber homes passed 45 million in 2023, targeting 100 million by 2025.
- Brazil FTTH homes passed 20 million in Q1 2024, urban coverage 35%.
- UK full-fiber premises passed 18 million in H1 2024, 45% coverage.
- Australia NBN FTTP/FTTC 7.5 million premises ready in June 2024.
- Germany VDSL vectoring covers 80% homes, FTTH 25 million passed.
- Japan 10Gbps FTTH available to 30 million homes in 2023.
- Canada fiber coverage 45% urban, 15% rural in 2023.
- US rural broadband coverage gaps affected 13 million locations in 2023.
- China 5G base stations 3.7 million, fixed wireless broadband 20 million subs.
- France FTTH deployed to 45 million homes in 2023.
- Africa undersea cable capacity grew 25% to 250 Tbps in 2023.
- US low-income areas fiber coverage only 28% vs 52% high-income.
- Nigeria fiber optic coverage 25 major cities, 15,000 km deployed.
- Singapore nationwide GPON upgraded to 10G in 2023, 100% coverage.
- Global submarine cable investments totaled $12 billion in 2023.
Infrastructure & Coverage Interpretation
The global fiber gold rush is laying down digital autobahns at a blistering pace, yet the stubborn potholes of inequality and rural access remind us that true connectivity means getting everyone up to speed, not just the lucky ones in the fast lane.
Performance & Speed
- In 2023, median US fixed broadband download speed was 242.14 Mbps, up 28% YoY.
- Global average fixed broadband download speed reached 95.5 Mbps in H2 2023, led by Singapore at 370 Mbps.
- EU average fixed broadband speed 145 Mbps download in 2023, with latency under 20 ms.
- South Korea fixed broadband median speed 248 Mbps download, 95 Mbps upload in Q1 2024.
- India average fixed broadband speed 88.6 Mbps download in H2 2023, improved 25% YoY.
- Brazil fixed broadband average 126 Mbps download, 45 Mbps upload in Q4 2023.
- UK median fixed broadband speed 79 Mbps download in 2023, FTTP averages 900 Mbps.
- Australia NBN fixed broadband median download 104 Mbps in June 2024 during busy hours.
- Germany average fixed broadband speed 121 Mbps download, 50 Mbps upload in 2023.
- Japan fixed broadband speeds averaged 215 Mbps download in 2023, with 10G services at 9.5 Gbps.
- Canada fixed broadband median 248 Mbps download in H2 2023.
- Rural US fixed broadband median speed 98 Mbps download in 2023, urban 312 Mbps.
- China fixed broadband average 300 Mbps download in urban areas 2023.
- France FTTH average speed 850 Mbps download symmetric in 2023.
- Global fixed broadband latency averaged 21 ms in H2 2023.
- Africa mobile broadband average speed 25 Mbps download in 2023.
- US 5G fixed wireless median 150 Mbps download in Q1 2024.
- Nigeria fixed broadband average 12 Mbps download, highest latency 150 ms.
- Singapore fixed broadband consistency 92% above 100 Mbps in 2023.
- Russia fixed broadband average 150 Mbps download in 2023.
Performance & Speed Interpretation
While the global internet family boasts an impressive average speed of 95.5 Mbps, with heavy-hitters like Singapore and South Korea routinely breaking the 300 Mbps barrier, the digital dinner party still has a frustratingly uneven seating chart, where urban diners feast on gigabit connections while many rural guests are left nibbling on sub-100 Mbps scraps and lamenting their high-latency potatoes.
Policy & Regulation
- FCC classifies broadband as 100/20 Mbps minimum since 2024.
- EU Digital Decade target 100% gigabit coverage by 2030, 75% by 2025.
- South Korea mandates 1Gbps nationwide by 2022, achieved 95% in 2023.
- India BharatNet Phase III allocates INR 1.39 lakh crore for rural fiber.
- Brazil GNAP targets 110 million fiber homes by 2028.
- UK Future Telecoms Infrastructure Review commits £1 billion public funding.
- Australia Universal Service Guarantee funds NBN $51 billion total.
- Germany Gigabit Strategy invests €5 billion subsidies for FTTH.
- Japan Basic Plan on Digital Society mandates 100% 5G by 2030.
- Canada Universal Broadband Fund $3.2 billion CAD for 98% coverage.
- US Infrastructure Act provides $65 billion for broadband deployment.
- China 14th Five-Year Plan doubles fiber penetration to 70%.
- France France Très Haut Débit plan €20 billion for 100% FTTH by 2025.
- Africa Connect 3 program €200 million for regional backhaul.
- FCC Affordable Connectivity Program enrolled 23 million households before funding lapse.
- Nigeria National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 targets 70% penetration.
- Singapore Smart Nation 2025 doubles 10Gbps coverage.
- Russia Digital Economy Project funds RUB 1.8 trillion for fiber.
Policy & Regulation Interpretation
From the FCC's freshly raised floor to South Korea's near-total gigabit ceiling, the world is engaged in a high-stakes, high-dollar race to connect everyone, though the finish line seems to keep sprinting further into the future.
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