Research Bytes

eMarketer is a great source for worldwide research:

The worldwide total of DSL and cable broadband users will grow by an average of 9% annually over the next five years, reaching 480 million subscribers by 2012, according to new data from ABI Research.

USA
The US remains the single largest Internet market in the world with 181.9 million Internet users in 2006, but China is likely to take the lead before the decade is out.

England
A survey of the behaviors of English pensioners (AXA) has discovered a generation of silver surfers. The study shows that surfing the Internet has overtaken more traditional pastimes such as gardening.

Germany
One-third of Germans ages 16 and older go online for medical advice. The joint study by BITKOM and Eurostat claims that almost half of the Dutch do the same.

India
The Indian media market is expected to grow from revenues of $9.2 billion in 2007 to $17 billion by 2012 (India Media Market 2007 report from Heernet Ventures).

Japan
Japanese Telecommunications Carriers Association (TCA) trade group reported that mobile phone subscriptions in Japan had topped 100 million.

China
Total advertising spending in China amounted to $36.9 billion in 2006, from CTR Market Research.

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