Fiber is now the dominant broadband access technology in half of all OECD countries

High-speed fiber is now the primary fixed broadband technology in 19 out of 38 OECD countries, according to the latest data. Among these countries, 15 have a share of fiber subscriptions of over 50%. The latest update of the OECD broadband portal shows a 12.3% rise in fiber broadband subscriptions across OECD countries between June 2021 and June 2022, a slightly slower growth rate than the previous 12 months.  The need to bolster remote working capacity has remained even as many workers physically returned to the office in 2022, driving demand for fiber connections that provide fast upload and download speeds. Overall, fiber now accounts for 36% of fixed broadband subscriptions in the 38 OECD member countries, up from 22% five years ago. Korea, Japan, and Spain have the highest fiber penetration rates in the OECD at 87%, 84%, and 81%, respectively, and are among the seven countries with a fiber share of total fixed broadband subscriptions of 70% or higher. The highest fiber growth rates in Latin America were observed in Costa Rica, Chile, and Colombia (51%, 35%, and 32%, respectively), while in Europe they were in Belgium, the United Kingdom, and Ireland (87%, 47%, and 40%, respectively).