The number of worldwide broadband users has now surpassed one billion, according to analysts at research firm Strategy Analytics. The company’s global forecasting models indicate that this significant threshold was reached in mid November. The firm forecasts 415 million broadband households by the end of 2008.

The “Broadband User” designation is meant to capture the multiple individuals potentially sharing a single household broadband subscription, and is an important indicator for Internet companies of broadband’s global reach. This is an especially important distinction for developing markets, where much of the future growth of broadband will originate.

“With the North American and Western European broadband markets gradually maturing, the real broadband growth engines are the emerging countries,” notes Ben Piper, Analyst and Director of the Strategy Analytics Multiplay Market Dynamics service. “Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific are all expected to see double-digit growth in the next five years.”

About Strategy Analytics

Strategy Analytics, Inc. focuses on market opportunities and disruptive forces in the areas of Automotive Electronics and Entertainment, Broadband Connected Home, Mobile & Wireless Intelligent Systems Implementation Strategies and High Frequency Market intelligence. Headquartered in Boston, MA, with offices in the UK, France, Germany, Japan, S. Korea and China, Strategy Analytics works with clients through annual multi-client services, management team workshops and custom consulting engagements. For more information, please visit www.strategyanalytics.com.

Analyst Blog: www.strategyanalytics.com/blogs/dmercer