By: MarkJ - 29 September, 2009 (8:37 AM) - Score: 957 - Fixed Line Broadband, Statistics

New information from Point Topic has revealed the direct relationship between annual GDP and broadband growth, which is being blurred by several effects projected worldwide. Typically Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is the basic yearly measure of a country's economic performance.

Broadband has reportedly continued to grow robustly through the last 18 months relative to other sectors, yet predicting what will happen next has been made all the more challenging by a mix of economic problems, natural market saturation and government incentives to boost uptake.

Point Topic expects broadband growth to be around 10% over the next 12 to 18 months, taking the world past the 500 billion broadband lines mark. To reach another 1.5bn global, and presently unconnected, homes by 2040 will require an average growth rate of around 5% per year. Growth in new markets should also help to off-set the saturated landscape of older ones.


There is of course a direct relationship between GDP and broadband growth, with data revealing that broadband deployment leads to a measurable increase in GDP. In the UK the first wave of broadband rollout added up to £20bn a year to the economy, improved educational standards and exam results, provided cost savings for consumers, companies and governments and results in better informed and more engaged citizens.