eMarketer's worldwide broadband adoption estimates show that the U.S. has the greatest number of broadband households, but penetration rates are much higher in some Asian countries. The U.S. still has more broadband households than any other country, with 34.3 million at the end of 2004, but its household penetration rate is no longer even in the top 10. Also, China will soon become the top broadband country in terms of number of households with access, although its penetration rate is only 6.5 percent, compared with 29.9 percent for the U.S.

The leader in broadband penetration remains South Korea, with 73 percent, followed by Hong Kong with 59.1 percent, Taiwan with 50.8 percent and Canada with 42.7 percent. In Europe, the big mover in 2004 was the Netherlands, passing Denmark and Belgium, which ranked above it in 2003, to lead the region in broadband penetration in 2004.

eMarketer projects that Latin America will be the fastest-growing broadband region through 2008, albeit from a tiny base; and the Asia-Pacific region, driven by broadband growth in China, will outstrip Western Europe and North America.