Fiber access gains on cable for broadband access - NetworkWorld.com

For the first time, fiber-based entree is expanding faster than cable: 4.2 million compared to 2.5 million endorsers were added during the first quarter,
according to the analysts at Point Topic.

"It's a important milepost for fiber-optic broadband; where it is available consumers will take fibre over other broadband
technologies," said Joseph Oliveer Johnson, chief executive officer at Point Topic. Don't Miss!

Johnson is convinced fibre will go the greatest entree technology. In three to five old age it will go through cable, and that
it will be about 10 old age before it goes larger than DSL (Digital Subscriber Line), he said. That is, unless something
haps to do it possible for DSL to maintain up with bandwidth demands.

Currently there are 42 million fibre broadband users worldwide, compared to 79.6 million cablegram and 238 million DSL subscribers. "DSL is adding more than endorsers than fibre in absolute numbers, but not in per centum growth," said Johnson. Related Content

Users who take fibre are also getting "more spots for their buck", according to Point Topic. The cost for fibre can acquire as
low as US$0.50 per megabit per month, compared to US$20 for DSL and US$12 for cable, taking planetary averages.

The growing of fibre Numbers is being driven by People'S Republic Of China (which is closing inch on the U.S. in footing of the sum figure of subscribers),
Japanese Islands and South Korea, where cablegram and DSL are losing endorsers to fiber. Collectively Asia amount to over 35 million subscribers,
according to Point Topic.

In the U.S. and Europe fibre is having a harder time. Deploying the engineering is still expensive, and incumbent operators
are loath to share infrastructure, according to Johnson.

"Without some word form of centralised support it will be a long clip before consumers in these marketplaces acquire entree to cheaper bandwidth,"
said Johnson.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.