219 million people globally have gigabit internet available to them, equating to roughly 3 percent of the population.
There are currently 603 gigabit internet implementations, an increase of 72 percent since June 2016, according to Viavi Solutions’ Gigabit Monitor.
With 56.4 million, the United States has the highest number of people with access to gigabit internet with a population coverage of 17 percent.
Singapore has the highest proportion of citizens with gigabit internet availability at 95 percent.
With 46.7 million, South Korea has the second highest number of citizens with gigabit internet availability, representing 93 percent of its population.
91 percent of the installations are based on fiber – with cellular connections accounting for 3.65 percent, HFC accounting for 5.26 percent, and WiFi making up less than 1 percent.
With many launches of gigabit LTE and 5G in the near future, the scale of cellular gigabit connectivity is expected to change significantly. This is reflected in Viavi’s State of 5G Trials, which shows that 25 mobile operators are currently lab-testing 5G, with 12 of those reporting that they have progressed to field trials.
“As bandwidth increases, so does consumer appetite for it. Likewise new business models have been quick to take advantage of new bandwidth, as we’ve seen with streaming video and audio in the recent past – and which we believe will continue in the near future with VR, AR and the Internet of Things,” said Sameh Yamany, chief technology officer, Viavi Solutions.
