Statistics released by the US broadband industry organization Broadband Forum on June 16 showed that in the first quarter this year, the total number of broadband subscribers worldwide reached 430 million. China continues to maintain its top position with 88.08 million users, followed by the US and Japan which take second and third place respectively.

The Broadband Forum report showed that in the first quarter this year, the number of broadband users worldwide increased by 16.6 million with the growth rate slightly higher than that of previous quarters.

Experts from the China Academy of Telecommunication Research said that the number of China's broadband users has ranked first in the world ever since it overtook the US in 2007, and is expected to break the 100 million mark this year.

Although the absolute number ranks first in the world, China's broadband penetration rate remains at a relatively low level, at less than 7 percent. In the vast rural areas particularly, the broadband penetration rate is extremely low.

By People's Daily Online