The popularity of Apple’s streaming media players is rapidly approaching Microsoft’s. According to a recent survey of streaming media usage, the market share of Apple’s iTunes and QuickTime players grew from 32% in January 2008 to 36.4% in January 2009, while Microsoft’s Media Player was unchanged at 50.7%. Most of this gain was due to the increasing popularity of iTunes. Meanwhile broadband lines grew by 20% to 110.5 million lines in Europe over the past year. In the US, broadband growth slowed to its lowest level in seven years, while penetration crept up to 59% overall.
The Bandwidth Report Category: Estonia
Universal Broadband Plan Calls for $44 billion in Spending – China Passes US in Total Broadband Subscribers – US Broadband Penetration Grows to 92.4% among Active Internet Users – December 2008 Bandwidth Report
President-elect Obama is calling for a massive $850 billion or more economic stimulus package to jump start the US economy and rebuild neglected infrastructure. As part of this plan the Obama administration has pledged to deploy next-generation broadband to every community in America. What the new administration has not offered is more specifics on their plan to achieve broadband for all. The Free Press has put forth a $44 billion plan to achieve universal broadband availability for the United States.
US Drops to 19th in Broadband Penetration Worldwide – US Broadband Penetration Jumps to 91.5% among Active Internet Users – September 2008 Bandwidth Report
Over the past two quarters (Q1 2008 to Q2 2008) US broadband penetration among the general population dropped from 17th to 19th overall among all countries surveyed worldwide. As of the second quarter of 2008, Monaco leads all countries surveyed with 40.63% of the population on broadband and 100% of households (see Figures 1 & 2), according to Point Topic.
Broadband Achieves Majority Fastest – Iceland Leads EU27 in Broadband Penetration Rankings – US Broadband Uptake Grows to 86.3% Among Active Internet Users – December 2007 Bandwidth Report
Faster than any other consumer technology, broadband achieved more than 50% adoption according to Pew Internet. Iceland leads the EU27 in household broadband penetration, according to a survey by EUROSTAT. Among active Internet users, broadband grew to 86.3% in November 2007.
Europe Passes US in Broadband Penetration – US Broadband Uptake Grows to 84.8% Among Active Internet Users – September 2007 Bandwidth Report
Broadband penetration in the EU is now on par with the US and Japan, according to a bi-annual broadband survey from the European Competitive Telecommunications Association (ECTA). ECTA attributes the 16% growth in broadband lines over the last six months to increased competition from new telecom entrants employing local loop unbundling and cable. Meanwhile in the US, broadband penetration jumped 1.32 percentage points to 84.75% among active Internet users in August 2007.
US Jumps to 24th in Worldwide Broadband Penetration – US Broadband Uptake Grows to 83.4% Among Active Internet Users – August 2007 Bandwidth Report
Reversing a previous trend, the US moved up from 25th to 24th in broadband penetration worldwide in the first quarter of 2007 (see Figure 1). At the high end of the broadband spectrum, South Korea retains its lead over Hong Kong, Monaco, and Iceland in household broadband penetration. At current growth rates however, Hong Kong should pass South Korea in the summer of 2007 to become the leading nation in broadband penetration. Meanwhile, broadband penetration among active Internet users grew to 83.43% in US homes in June, up 0.2 percentage points from 83.23% in June 2007.
US Falls to 25th in Broadband Penetration Worldwide – US Broadband Growth Below OECD Average – April 2007 Bandwidth Report
The US fell from 23rd to 25th place in worldwide broadband penetration in the last half of 2006, according to a recent survey by Point Topic. OECD data confirms the slowdown, with the US falling to 15th in broadband penetration among OECD countries surveyed. US broadband penetration grew 0.65 percentage points to 80.81% among active Internet users in March.
European Broadband Penetration Gap Widening – US Broadband Penetration Nears 75% Among Active Internet Users – September 2006 Bandwidth Report
Sixty-four million people now have broadband access across the 25 countries of the European Union – but the gap between the best and worst performers is widening (see Figure 1). Denmark, the Netherlands, and Finland lead the European Union in broadband penetration while Greece, Slovakia, and Poland trail according to a recent broadband survey by ECTA. Back in the US, broadband penetration among active Internet users neared 75% in August 2006.
Bush Broadband Goal Gored – US Broadband Penetration Breaks 70% Among Active Internet Users – Broadband Study Highlights Two-Speed Europe – May 2006 Bandwidth Report
President Bush’s goal of universal broadband access for all Americans by 2007 appears to be overly optimistic, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. The GAO study found that only 28% of Americans had broadband in 2005.
China will pass US in Broadband Lines by late 2006 – Worldwide Broadband Survey – US Broadband Penetration Breaks 65% Among Active Internet Users – January 2006 Bandwidth Report
At its current growth rate of over 90% per year, China will pass the US in total broadband subscribers by late 2006 to become the largest broadband country in the world. The US has fallen to 19th overall in household broadband penetration, and is in danger of being passed by Slovenia in early 2007. Israel leads all Middle Eastern and African countries, and is the third country overall in broadband penetration. Hong Kong leads the Pacific Rim, with a broadband penetration rate of over 73%. Meanwhile, in December 2005 the US passed 65% in broadband penetration among active Internet users.