Cell broadband beats landline networks
Broadband Internet penetration has posted more growth in Greece compared to the rest of Europe. A European Commission index has shown that on July 1, 2008, the penetration of broadband connections came to 11.2 percent of the Greek population, taking the country to the 23rd spot among the 27 European Union member states, up from 24th in January 2008. A year earlier it had ranked 25th. This improvement is the result of the recent rise in sales of DSL broadband connections. The Commission found that Greece added 485,000 broadband connections in the 12 months to July 1, which was the eighth-highest record in the EU over that period. In terms of penetration, this was the sixth best in the EU, given that 485,000 connections represent 4.3 percent of the country’s population. Nevertheless, Greece remains far behind the EU average, which in July stood at 21.7 percent; in many developed countries the penetration rate ranges from 25 to 35 percent. On the other hand, Greece ranks fifth in the EU in broadband connection through cell phones, although the UK, France and the Netherlands are not included on the chart. Greek GSM broadband network users correspond to 11.9 percent of the population, against a 6.9 percent average in the bloc. The category includes those using data transmission services through third-generation cell phones and shows its penetration is higher than landline broadband Internet in Greece by 0.7 percent.
