FEBRUARY 25, 2010 By Stephen Hardy -- The FTTH Council Europe released new figures yesterday for European FTTH penetration. The new data shows a market that is dynamic, if not as robust as the industry might hope.
The FTTH Council keeps tabs on the global economies where FTTH penetration has reached 1% of homes. Fifteen economies have achieved this status in Europe, the FTTH Council Europe reported. FTTH stalwarts Sweden, Norway, and Slovenia maintained their places in the top five in 2009; however, Lithuania jumped to the council’s number one spot with an 18 percent FTTH penetration rate. All four countries boast penetration rates greater than 10 percent, which the FTTH Council proclaimed “a significant milestone.”
Meanwhile, France and Portugal made the 1% penetration list for the first time. The council expects this rate to increase rapidly because both countries also rank in the top 10 economies in terms of FTTH availability.
The FTTH Council Europe has partnered with market analysis and consultancy firm IDATE to produce these rankings, as well as ancillary data regarding the European FTTH market (see "IDATE: FTTH market growing in Europe and Middle East"). For example, Europe has reached 2.5 million FTTH subscribers -- 3.5 million if Russia one also considers Russia. Seven countries account for 77% of this total -- in descending order of total subscribers, Sweden, Italy, France, Lithuania, Norway, The Netherlands, and Denmark.
FTTH Council Europe President Karel Helsen noted that France became the second European G-20 country to reach the list, following Italy. “It is up to Germany and UK to increase their efforts to follow as soon as possible," Helsen urged.
While Germany and the UK, among other countries, may be lagging in terms of penetration, the figures show how quickly FTTH penetration is spreading worldwide. Two years ago, the FTTH Councils of North America, Europe, and Asia reported that there were only 14 economies in the world in which FTTH had reached a 1% penetration rate (see "FTTH Councils: Deployment spreads globally").
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