Large DSL Operators Do Fine

DSL analysis firm Point-Topic surveyed the subscriber numbers of 28 operators that provided 79.1 percent of the world's DSL lines at the end of 2001. The results are more upbeat than you might expect.

by ISP-Planet Staff [June 17, 2002]

London, U.K.-based DSL analysis firm Point-Topic recently released its latest report on the DSL industry, "DSL Growth Continues at Full Speed."

The analysis covers 28 operators that provided 79.1 percent of the world's DSL lines at the end of 2001. The report shows growth in DSL across the globe.

"Despite the problems in the telecoms industry, there were a fifth more people in the world with DSL at the end of March than there were at the start of the year," said John Bosnell, Editor of www.point-topic.com. "As more people find out about broadband, more want it. That's why DSL more than doubled during 2001."

World DSL leader Korea Telecom showed a relatively modest increase of 6.2 percent over the last quarter, suggesting that its market is beginning to approach saturation, although its smaller rival Hanaro managed a respectable 13 percent growth for the quarter.

In the U.S., Qwest and Covad have both been spending cautiously on broadband, and this produced slow DSL growth over the last quarter. Bell South, the most upbeat of the main US operators, posted the best U.S. growth figures.

The table below shows subscriber numbers of several DSL operators worldwide, in thousands:

Notes: Numbers in italics are estimates. All data courtesy of Point-Topic.

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