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CANBERRA, Feb 21 AAP - Two-thirds of all businesses and almost a
third of all homes now use high-speed internet connections, a new
study shows.
A report by communication analysts BuddeComm forecast the number
of broadband internet users in Australia would hit four million by
the end of the year and grow to six million by 2009.
About 70 per cent of businesses and 30 per cent of households
used broadband services, with the market worth around $1.5 billion,
the study said.
The number of subscriptions almost trebled in 2002 and has at
least doubled every year since then.
While Telstra's competitors had a 60 per cent share of the
standard broadband market, the majority government-owned telco
earned 73 per cent of the revenue, the report said.
Telstra reported earlier this month it had added 317,000 new
retail broadband customers in the half-year to December, recording
a $225 million increase in revenue to $534 million.
Report author Paul Budde said action by the consumer watchdog
may be needed soon to keep a check on Telstra's dominance in the
market.
Mr Budde said smaller players were facing a squeeze, because the
wholesale price did not allow a high enough margin to survive.
"Unless the ACCC steps in, the situation will deteriorate even
further in 2007, as the on-going pressure will force a significant
number of players out of the market," Mr Budde told AAP.
AAP