Mobile broadband leads the way in internet growth

The total number of broadband mobile internet reached 6.9 million, up 63.8 percent compared to the end of 2011 and nearly double compared to the number registered in half 2011, according to telecom watchdog ANCOM.  The report was made based on data reported by internet providers between January 1- June 30, 2012.

In fact, mobile broadband posted the highest growth in all internet connections.

“Within a year, the number of active mobile broadband internet connections has nearly doubled,” said Catalin Marinescu, president of ANCOM.

Thus, there were 5.6 million mobile broadband internet connections via mobile phones and 1.3 million via modems/cards/USB devices.

At June 30, 2012, there were approximately 7.4 million SIM cards that allowed access to mobile internet via technologies such as 3G, 3G+, EV-DO or 4G.

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Fixed broadband internet connections also increased, albeit at a slower pace, reaching more than 3.4 million in the first half of this year, reaching a 4.1 percent growth compared to the previous semester and 9.1 percent growth compared to the similar period last year.

Half of the fixed internet connections used by residential clients were at least 30 Mbps.

From the total number, 88.9 percent use the FTTx technology which uses optic fiber to a location close to the final user, which makes possible to offer high internet speeds.

The penetration rate of fixed broadband internet has reached 18 percent of the population and 44 percent of the households.

In the first half of 2012, there was an 11.7 percent growth on the previous semester in the number of connections in the rural environment up to 0.8 million.

 Otilia Haraga