MUMBAI: Recessionary and competitive pressures have seen a significant decline in broadband subscriber additions in Western Europe.

The top 10 fixed broadband providers saw an average of less than 1.4 million net additions per quarter, down from the 1.9 million per quarter reported during 2007-2008. The only operators in the top 10 that accelerated their rate of subscriber additions were Germany‘s United Internet and Vodafone, due to the acquisitions of Freenet and Arcor, respectively.
 
The report also saw a surge in subscribers over a 10-quarter period from the fourth quarter of 2006 to the second quarter of 2009.

A report by SNL Kagan found that Deutsche Telecom (DT) added more broadband subscribers from Q4 2006 to Q2 2009 than any other ISP in the region, accounting for 22 per cent of all top 10 operator net additions. 
 
Among the fastest growing operators in that period were France’s Iliad and SFR, each with a compound quarterly growth rate of 6.7 per cent. Germany’s Vodafone and DT followed with a compound quarterly growth rate of 5.2 per cent and 4.7 per cent respectively.