The global number of fixed broadband subscriptions has passed 1.5 billion, marking a significant milestone in the ongoing expansion of digital infrastructure worldwide. Although Point Topic has only just published quarter three 2024 numbers, we are confident that the latest milestone was reached at the end of last year or possibly the first day of 2025. In late 2010, there were five hundred million fixed lines worldwide, and the one billion fixed line landmark was passed in 2018, shortly before the COVID pandemic. That means it was just over 10 years for the first half a billion, 8 years for the next, and only 6 years for the third five hundred million fixed line subscriptions.
“Everyone has benefitted,” said Oliver Johnson, CEO of Point Topic. “Although as with anything too much can be a bad thing and like any tool it can be weaponised but it still marks one of the major achievements of mankind. From cave paintings via printing, literacy, libraries and even television our species has a deep down drive to communicate. The internet is in the same league and the adoption has been rapid.”
“It is unlikely that the next half a billion will be covered anywhere near as rapidly. Those areas that still don’t have a fixed network are usually difficult and expensive to reach. We won’t see two billion fixed line subscriptions this decade,” says Johnson.
While growth is still rapid worldwide, some markets are already reaching saturation levels. The US reports more subscriptions than households. Some other consumer technologies spread as quickly and similarly. As of mid-2024, there are more broadband lines in the US than households. Business lines and second and third lines or houses will account for the apparent oversupply. The Pew Research Centre estimates that 80% of US adults (not households) subscribe to high-speed internet or broadband. China passed this milestone a while ago, and other major countries are also approaching it. Broadband is so integrated into society that it is almost impossible to function without a connection to the internet, preferably mobile and fixed options, and that is reflected in the take-up.
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