Growth in new broadband subscribers slowed in the Middle East in Q2 2008 according to Point Topic's influential World Broadband Statistics Report. It says that the region's subscribers increased by 5.2% in Q2 2008, compared to 8.8% in Q1 2008. It added a total of 535,000 new subscribers in the period, with the highest number coming in Turkey (250,500), Saudi Arabia (80,000) and Egypt (53,101).
The most new additions in Q2 2008 came in South and East Asia, where 5.6 million new subscribers signed up to broadband. China alone acquired 5 million new subscribers, propelling it into the world broadband leadership position ahead of the US. Quarterly growth in more developed markets such as Western Europe (2.58%), Asia Pacific (2.8%) and North America (1.51%) was much more modest.
In terms of countries, however, Saudi Arabia had the highest annual growth rate from Q2 2007 to Q2 2008 of a staggering 135.3%, representing 460,000 net additions over the year. It is followed by Belarus (130%), Indonesia (130%) and Pakistan (125%).
I've been writing about technology for nearly 20 years, including editing industry magazines Connect and Communications International. In 2002 I co-founded Futurity Media with Anthony Plewes. My focus in Futurity Media is in emerging technologies, social media and future gazing. As a graduate of philosophy & science, I have studied futurology & foresight to the post-grad level.