OECD: Israel lags far behind in Internet infrastructure

Israel has no fiber optics deployment in contrast to other OECD member states, according to an OECD report on fiber-optic connectivity. It says that Japan and South Korea top fiber optic deployment, with 60% connectively, on the basis of a survey in December 2012.

The OECD says that there has been strong growth in fiber optic connectivity as a proportion of all (copper and co-axial cable) broadband Internet connectivity. Fiber optic connectivity accounted for 14.9% of all connectivity in the OECD (48.7 million hook-ups), after 12.7% annual growth – quadruple the growth of non-fiber optic hook-ups.

Luxembourg had the fastest annual growth in fiber optic connectivity, at 324%, followed by Austria (194%), Turkey (170%), and Switzerland (150%). Seven countries had more than 100% annual growth, and 11 countries had growth of over 50%.

Countries such as Poland, Turkey, Slovenia, Portugal, and even Greece, outperformed Israel, which had no fiber optic hook-ups. This is the Ministry of Communications greatest failure in recent years.

Israel is only in the middle among OECD countries in broadband connectivity. Switzerland tops the rankings, with over 40 hook-ups per 100 residents, followed by the Netherlands and Denmark. Israel has 25 hook-ups per 100 residents. DSL is the leading technology among OECD countries for broadband connectivity.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news – www.globes-online.com – on July 21, 2013