Global subscriptions to DSL rocketed to 164 million by 30 June 2006, according to the latest data produced for the international DSL Forum by industry analyst Point Topic. Worldwide, the number of business and residential users selecting DSL (digital subscriber line) for broadband access increased by almost 46 million – a growth of 38% in the 12 months.

“These latest subscriber figures are further evidence of DSL broadband’s remarkable rate of growth across the world“, said Michael Brusca, chairman and president of the DSL Forum. “Broadband is increasingly a key entertainment and information tool in homes, businesses and organisations worldwide, and sophisticated “quadruple play” broadband offerings of voice, video, data and mobile are now delivering continuous connectivity. Through its new BroadbandSuite initiative, the DSL Forum is committed to developing the specifications that enhance customer satisfaction and drive next-generation services over all broadband access technologies”.

Another 18 million broadband subscribers in European Union (EU) countries chose DSL in the year to 30 June 2006, a growth of 45% that reinforces the region’s global leadership. There are more than 56 million DSL subscribers in the EU, accounting for more than one-third of the global total.

South and South East Asia increased its global market share of total DSL subscribers to 22%, adding more than 13 million new subscribers in the 12 months to 30 June 2006. China contributed the bulk of this growth (up 11.6 million), and India began to establish its broadband society, adding more than 1.3 million subscribers to DSL, the fastest growing market worldwide. Latin America added more than three million DSL subscribers, with Brazil (up 1.19 million) and Mexico (up 939,000) leading the way. In the Middle East and Africa, growth was dominated by Turkey (up 1.3 million) – the second fastest moving DSL subscriber market worldwide.

In North America, DSL is steadily increasing its share of the total broadband market and now accounts for more than 46% of the region’s broadband subscribers. In the period, broadband DSL (up 6.36 million) added more subscribers than cable modem (up 5.45 million), with growth in Canada (DSL up 22.2%) and the USA (DSL up 32.7%) both far outstripping cable modem growth.

China extended its DSL population to 33 million, the largest of any country and more than 10 million subscribers ahead of the USA in second place. Of the emerging DSL nations, significant subscriber increases were seen in Vietnam (147% increase), the Czech Republic (143%), Morocco (141%) and Russia (130%).

In eight countries, over 25% of telephone lines are now delivering broadband services over DSL, rising to a third in France and almost 40% in Finland.