Cable main broadband competitor
March 21, 2008
Figures from industry body Cable Europe, claim broadband Internet connections via cable grew 22 per cent in 2007, cementing the sector as the main competitor to telcos.
Cable Europe says the industry is investing strongly in the future of its fibre-coax network with a CAPEX ratio of 24 per cent. The latest cable technology (DOCSIS 3.0) already enables download speeds up to 200 Mbps.
Cable is different from alternative service providers as it doesn't need to use the network of the telecom incumbent to service its customers. It says broadband internet connections rose to 15.6m in 2007 from 12.8m the previous year.
Caroline van Weede, Managing Director of Cable Europe: “Telecom regulators focus on designing rules to give alternative service providers access to the incumbent network. Given the clear customer appeal of cable, we are asking regulators to take into account the dynamics and investments in cable and infrastructure based competition.”