OECD reports growth in FTTH subscriptions

The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has reported growth in fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband subscriptions during the first half of the year.

FTTH connections rose in number by 3.5 per cent over the six-month period, meaning these broadband lines now represent 13 per cent of all subscriptions.

In contrast, DSL and cable broadband - which make up the bulk of the market - saw their customer bases remain stable at 58.8 per cent and 29.5 per cent respectively.

Total fixed-line broadband subscriptions increased by 2.25 per cent throughout the first six months of 2011, representing a fall from the six per cent growth reported during the final half of last year.

In the UK, BT began the commercial rollout of its super-fast FTTH service at the end of November, offering customers maximum download speeds of 100Mbps.

Ashford, Chester South, Leytonstone and York are among the exchange areas included in the initial deployment.