China Tops U.S. Broadband Totals

China has now topped the United States in total number of broadband subscribers - an event that's been predicted for well over a year now - according to new estimates. According to the latest numbers, compiled by telecoms consultant and research house Dittberner Associates, China ended the first quarter of the year with 71,603,400 broadband subscribers, topping a total of 70,211,328 for the U.S. A year ago the U.S. had been on top, with 62,727,506 broadband users, compared to 55,970,000 in China. Most observers have been predicting China would surpass the U.S. Rival research house Ovum, for instance, had long predicted that would happen at the end of 2007. According to the Dittberner numbers that's now happened, only perhaps a month or two later than Ovum had estimated back in 2006. The reason for China's ascendancy is, of course, not a reflection on broadband penetration in the U.S., technical expertise or sophistication - its one of sheer numbers. China is huge so, even with a tiny broadband penetration, the total number of subscribers in the country is tremendous. And that total increased by 27.93 percent - 15,633,400 new subscribers added in just one year - compared to a growth rate for the U.S. less than half that, at 11.93 percent.
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