Fibre to the home hits one million

Fibre to the home (FTTH) is making slow but steady progress in western Europe with nearly one million users connected.

A report from research company Informa Telecoms and Media has found that despite breaking the one million barrier across western Europe, FTTH connections only account for just over one per cent of all broadband connections in the continent.

Sweden is the most advanced user of FTTH - which uses optical fibre for last-mile connections to users' premises and promises super high-speed broadband - with 27 per cent of fat pipe users getting their internet access from FTTH.

Unlike traditional forms of broadband access, FTTH suppliers in Sweden are not telcos, tending rather to be utlities or local authorities. To date DSL players have been lukewarm on FTTH, citing its high cost.

A separate report by broadband analysts Point Topic found the market for FTTx services worldwide grew almost twice as fast as DSL and topped more than 27 million subscribers during 2006.