2022.08.05 – Open Broadband News

Point Topic: Fiber forges ahead in fixed broadband subscriptions

The transition of the global fixed broadband market from an arena dominated by copper to one that will be optical fiber-based continues apace, with – according to the Point Topic global broadband subscribers Q1 2022 report – the markets seeing a surge in the share of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks, albeit with somewhat underwhelming overall growth.

The report found that in the quarter, the general subscriber growth rate stood at 1.7%, with the number of connections reaching 1.3 billion. The share of FTTH networks in the total fixed broadband subscriptions continued to increase, and stood at 58%.

In terms of individual nations, China added 14 million, Brazil 1.1 million and France a million fiber broadband subscriptions. Regionally, in Q1 2022, the growth in number of fixed broadband subscribers was slower than in Q4 2021 in all regions except for East Asia and North America.

Romania sees rise in internet speed in 2021

Internet users in Romania benefited from faster fixed and mobile connections last year, according to statistics compiled by telecom regulator ANCOM based on tests performed on the Netograf platform.

The average download speed for fixed broadband connections increased by almost 40% in 2021 compared to 2020, up to 259.8 Mbps. Meanwhile, the average upload speed was about 60% faster, reaching 179.1 Mbps.

According to the same ANCOM report, the average download speed for fixed internet connections varies from one county to another, from 65.1 Mbps in Mehedinți to 249.6 Mbps in Harghita.

Broadband access market set to boom in 2026

The broadband access market is set to hit a value of $23.4billion in 2026, boosted by spending on deployments and equipment, according to new research from Dell’Oro, as service providers advance moves to connect as many households as possible with what is seen as more reliable connectivity.

The telecoms market research company is bullish in its predictions that the sales of Passive Optical Network (PON) equipment for FTTH rollouts, as well as cable broadband access kit and fixed wireless Customer Premises Equipment (CPE), will increase by 2026. The report says this will be driven by a desire from providers to expand the reach of their fixed broadband services to customers’ homes, as well as enhance the quality and reliability of these connections.

Dell’Oro estimated that PON equipment revenue will grow from $9.3billion in 2021 to $13.6billion in 2026, mainly due to deployments of XGS-PON (a 10Gbit/s capable symmetric passive optical network) in North America, EMEA and CALA (Caribbean and Latin America).

UK Government plans to fire up innovation in 5G and 6G as UK and South Korea launch telecoms technology partnership

Universities and telecoms firms have been invited to apply for up to £25 million to research and develop the next generation of 5G and 6G network equipment as part of new government plans to unleash innovation in the sector.

The Future open networks research challenge will enable academics and the industry to conduct early-stage research into open and interoperable telecoms solutions, such as Open Radio Access Network (Open RAN), for use in 5G and future networks such as 6G.

The UK Government is accelerating the development of this technology – which allows operators to mix and match equipment rather than relying on a single supplier when building or maintaining networks – as part of its £250 million open networks R&D fund.

Digital Infrastructure Minister Matt Warman, said: “The seamless connectivity and blistering speeds of 5G and then 6G will power a tech revolution which will enrich people’s lives and fire up productivity across the economy.”

In a further boost to the industry, the UK will also invest £1.6 million in a joint-funded competition with the Republic of Korea to collaborate on a R&D project to accelerate the development of Open RAN technology.