[news release] Wireless broadband penetration has grown to 68.4% in the OECD area, according to June 2013 data, meaning there are now more than two wireless subscriptions for every three inhabitants.Wireless broadband subscriptions in the 34-country group were up 16.63% from a year earlier to a total of 851 million, driven by continuing strong demand for smartphones and tablets.Six countries (Australia, Denmark, Finland, Korea, Japan and Sweden) now lie above the 100% penetration threshold and Australia has edged into first place after a 13% surge in smartphone subscriptions in the first half of 2013.Fixed wired broadband subscriptions in the OECD area reached 332 million as of June 2013, making an average penetration of 26.7%. Switzerland, the Netherlands and Denmark remained at the top of the table with 43.8%, 40.0% and 39.7% respectively.DSL is still the prevalent technology, making up 52.69% of fixed broadband subscriptions, but it continues to be gradually replaced by fibre, now at 15.75% of subscriptions. Cable (30.91%) accounted for most of the remaining subscriptions.Two-digit annual growth in fibre was sustained thanks to increases in large OECD economies with low penetration levels such as France (32% in 6 months), Spain (34%), Turkey (33%) and the United Kingdom (47%). Japan and Korea remain the OECD leaders, with fibre making up 68.45% and 62.76% of fixed broadband connections.Data and charts for the June 2013 broadband statistics are available at the OECD Broadband Portal (www.oecd.org/sti/ict/broadband). The Portal now includes a webpage with links to national broadband maps in OECD countries.
http://www.oecd.org/sti/broadband/broadband-statistics-update.htmReport: OECD wireless broadband penetration rises above two-thirds of population
http://www.oecd.org/internet/oecdbroadbandportal.htm