The number of fixed broadband lines in the world grew by 2.9 percent or 15.2 million subscribers in the first quarter to a total 540.63 million, according to research by Point Topic for the Broadband Forum. The figures released at the Communicasia trade show in Signapore show growth is the strongest in Asia, which grew by 3.9 percent in the three months and 16.2 percent year-on-year to 226.44 million fixed broadband subscribers at the end of March. The Middle East and Africa region followed with 2.4 percent quarterly growth and 11.5 percent annual growth to 16.50 million subscribers. Europe grew by 2 percent sequentially and 0.2 percent annually to 159.774 million subscribers, and the Americas were up 2.3 percent versus Q4 and 8.6 percent year-on-year to 137.97 million. Worldwide, this is the strongest growth since late 2009. It's due in part to demand for broadband in China, which accounted for 42 percent of net additions in Q1. Growth in broadband supports IPTV as well, which grew by 6.4 percent in the quarter and 34 percent in the past year to 43.2 million users at the end of March. France remains the largest market with over 10.6 million IPTV customers, followed by China with 9.8 million. In terms of access technologies, fibre continues to grow the fastest, expanding by 5.8 percent in the three months to 76.2 million lines. DSL remains the most common access method, up 2.3 percent to 341.6 million users, followed by cable with 108.8 million broadband lines, up 2.8 percent from the end of 2010. The figures included fixed wireless for the first time, which had 9.5 million broadband users at the end of March.
