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.
China will pass US in Broadband Subscribers by late 2006
The US leads all countries with 42,172,000 total broadband subscribers (29.08% yearly growth), followed by China (28,182,000 subscribers), and Japan (21,056,000 subscribers). However, at its current growth rate of over 90% a year, China should overtake the US in total broadband subcribers by the end of 2006 (see Figure 1). China has a long way to go to match its neighbors in broadband penetration, however. China has a household penetration rate of 8.62% while the overall broadband penetration rate in Hong Kong is over 73%, South Korea is over 67%, and the US is 33.09%, as of Q3 2005.