The Dutch broadband market grew by 1.3 percent during the fourth quarter to 6.06 million connectionsat year-end. Slightly more than 77,000 net additions were recorded during the quarter, compared with just over 32,000 during the third quarter, according to Telecompaper’s latest report on the Dutch broadband market. The number of DSL connections dropped by 0.2 percent or 7,100 during the quarter, to reach a total of 3.535 million, while cable reported quarterly growth of 2.8 percent for the fourth quarter, adding 63,700 new broadband customers to reach 2.358 million. Cable increased its share of the Dutch broadband market by 0.6 percentage points to 38.9 percent. This brings it back to a level last seen in early 2008, following a decline through 2008 and steady recovery through 2009. FTTH was able to double its market share from 1.4 percent in the second quarter of 2008 to 2.8 percent at the end of 2009. During the fourth quarter, DSL lost almost 1 percent market share to end 2009 with 58.3 percent, returning to the level of the fourth quarter of 2004. Broadband penetration per household increased to 82.9 percent at the end of 2009, up by 2.3 percentage points compared to end-2008. Penetration per 100 inhabitants increased to 36.6 percent at the end of 2009, compared with 35.4 percent on 31 December 2008. Telecompaper expects the Dutch broadband market to grow between 3 and 3.5 percent in 2010, driven by cable and FTTH. DSL is expected to continue to lose customers, despite the expected VDSL push by KPN. Internet van KPN became the largest broadband provider of the Netherlands during the fourth quarter, with 1.83 million DSL customers, due to the inclusion of former Het Net customers. Its market share grew from 19.4 percent to 30.2 percent. Ziggo ended 2009 with 1.447 million customers, increasing its market share to 23.9 percent, and UPC won almost 34,000 net additions during the fourth quarter, to end the year with 741,700 customers or 12.2 percent market share. Tele2 became the fourth-largest broadband ISP in the Netherlands, due to the disappearance of Het Net, with 398,500 DSL customers, good for a market share of 6.6 percent.
