US and China Take Top Spots in World Broadband Association's 2025 Index
Italy and Switzerland are seeing increased fiber broadband penetration in households, showing that well-designed government policies and regulations can incentivize the broadband and cloud industries, the World Broadband Association said Monday. In its 2025 broadband and cloud development report, the group said the fixed broadband market across Latin America is increasingly driven by fiber as telcos and cable companies invest in the technology and phase out their copper and cable infrastructure. As of the end of 2024, Latin America had a fiber penetration rate of 37%, eclipsing North America's 28%.
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Communications Daily is required reading for senior executives at top telecom corporations, law firms, lobbying organizations, associations and government agencies (including the FCC). Join them today!
The U.S. ranks first in the association's 2025 index due to its leading performance in broadband and a strong showing in cloud, the report said. U.S. broadband access has improved because of recent federal investments in the segment, but U.S. ranking in broadband potential dropped significantly because affordability has been hit by government moves, including closure of the affordable connectivity program, it said. China ranked second in the index, the only country to achieve a top ranking despite having a GDP per capita well below the index average. The report noted that China has benefited from successful government and industry initiatives, and 95% of households in the country subscribe to fiber broadband services.