The total fixed broadband service revenue in Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6% over the forecast period 2024-2029 from $334.5 billion in 2024 to $340.5 billion in 2029. This growth will be primarily driven by the expansion of fiber-optic networks, with fiber broadband set to account for nearly 97% of all fixed broadband lines by 2029, forecasts GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
GlobalData’s Fixed Broadband Trends and Opportunities in Asia Pacific – 2024 reveals that APAC is a moderately developed region in terms of fixed broadband adoption, with fixed broadband account penetration of population reaching about 22% at year-end 2024.
Fixed broadband account penetration of population in the region is expected to reach about 24% by 2029, mainly driven by the ongoing broadband network expansions and growing service penetration, especially in emerging countries, where governments are infusing investments in fixed broadband network infrastructure development plans.
For instance, in August 2020, Malaysia introduced the JENDELA plan in August 2020 to enhance broadband coverage and quality by 2025. By 2022, Phase 1 successfully connected 7.7 million premises with fiber, while Phase 2 targets reaching 9 million premises by 2025.
Developed Asia, on the other hand, already has relatively high broadband penetration thanks to the national broadband network (NBN) projects, such as in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore.
Kantipudi Pradeepthi, Telecom Analyst at GlobalData, says: “The growth in the APAC fixed broadband services market will be led by fiber broadband segment. Fiber-optic access lines will account for a share of about 97% of the total fixed broadband lines in the APAC region by 2029.”
Rising demand for high-speed internet services and competitively priced fiber broadband bundled plans from operators with benefits like unlimited internet and access to subscription video on demand (SVoD) platforms will drive the fiber broadband service adoption in the region.
Singapore will have the highest share of FTTH/B lines as a percentage of total fixed broadband lines, reaching 99.7% in 2029. This will be driven by huge demand for high-speed connectivity and continued rise in fiber broadband connections among residential and business customers backed by initiatives by the government and telcos to expand and upgrade fiber broadband connectivity in the country.
Pradeepthi concludes: “China will lead the fixed broadband market in the APAC region, driven by growth in FTTH/B subscriptions, because of the government’s efforts to expand and upgrade fiber-optic infrastructure. For instance, China’s Telecom regulator MIIT announced that the country has expanded its gigabit optical fiber network, with 97 new cities achieving gigabit city status in 2023 and aims to ensure that all counties and townships along borders have gigabit fiber connectivity by the end of 2025.”
