Downturn does not hit home fibre broadband plans in Europe

A recent report has shown that home fibre broadband take up and plans across Europe are not being affected by the ongoing downturn.

The economic and financial downturn across the world has affected many sectors and industries, with consumers and companies having to make cutbacks in order to adapt to changing financial services. However, according to a recent report home fibre plans have been surviving the financial downturn across Europe with Fibre to the Home broadband showing significant growth.

Recently released figures have shown that compared to figures that were released in late 2008 FTTH has experienced growth of around eighteen percent, showing that it is not being affected by the current downturn. Sweden has come out on top when it comes to the rollout of FTTH broadband, with nearly eleven percent of its customers using fibre.

It is thought that around thirteen million people across thirty five European countries will have FTTH broadband by 2012, and one industry official said that predictions made in the past still appeared to be on track, stating: “The numbers in 2009 are in line with the latest forecasts.”

Mr Helson from Europe’s Fibre to the Home Council recently confirmed that across Europe at the moment there were more than two hundred and thirty three projects to lay these fibers and provider superfast broadband to homes and buildings. He said that many were being operated by small net firms or local governments.

He added that many local governments and authorities were interested in fibre to the home networks because of the many benefits that they offered, and that studies had shown that economic output could be directly affected by FTTH infrastructure.

Source – BBC