Network dimensions and development

In 2011, the total number of OECD communication access paths was 2 080 million, equating to 168 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants. Mobile subscriptions represented 65% of communication access paths, not much changed from 64% in 2009, though traditional fixed telephony subscriptions continue to decline. Fibre broadband subscriptions grew rapidly at 16.61% year on year between 2009 and 2011. Greater use of mobile broadband access has been stimulated by the popularity of smartphones. The average subscription rate of mobile Internet access, in OECD countries as a whole, rose to 56.6% in June 2012, up from just 30.7% in 2009. To meet the rapidly increasing demand for mobile data, network operators are undertaking several initiatives including off-loading traffic onto fixed networks by Wi-Fi. Their mobile broadband services are advertised with the OECD median speed of 12Mbit/s in 2012, which is not far from the fixed broadband median speed observed two years before.