Exceeding 10000000 Subscribers of High Speed Internet

Total subscribers of a domestic high speed Internet have exceeded 10 million people after only 4 years since its service has started.

The Ministry of Information and Communication(MIC) said on October 22, “We are not sure the exact point when the total subscribers of high speed Internet exceeded 10 million people because a result of investigations hasn’t been reported by telecommunication companies. But, as of the present, total subscribers exceeded 10 million people. We will held a big event to celebrate a passing of total 10 million subscribers of the high speed internet officially on November 4.” It means that 69% subscribers have used the high speed Internet service on the basis of 1,4500,000 households, and 21% subscribers have used it on the basis of populations of 47,000,000.

Considering the high speed Internet subscribers rate of major western countries translated on the population, the rate is the highest value in the world, compared with △Canada (4.54%), △US (2.25%), △Holland (1.68%), △Sweden (1.05%) and △ the average 1.26% of OECD countries (OECD data as of May, 2001). When Thrunet has started a commercial service at the end of 1998, the high speed Internet service was introduced firstly in Korea. As Hanaro Telecom has started the ADSL system in April 1999, the high speed Internet service has been activated. As KT took part in ADSL service competition from the end of 1999, total subscribers of high speed Internet have increased to △3,870,000 people at the end of 2000 and △7,800,000 at the end of 2002, from 280,000 subscribers at the end of 1999. In October of the year, the total subscribers have exceeded 10,000,000 people. For a wireless telephone, it took 100 years to exceed 10000000 circuits. Also, it took 18 years to exceed 10000000 subscribers for the mobile phone. The growth speed of the Internet is very unusual. In terms of an explosive growth rate, the MIC official said, “Because 49% of the population is the Korea unique dense living culture living in an apartment, it is easy to install the high speed internet network. Also, the telecommunication companies such as KT, Hanaro Telecom & Thrunet have been in severe competition to obtain the subscribers.” And he added that an increasing desire for the high-speed Internet environment and the active policy support played an important part.

Jong sik Kong kong@donga.com