The Netherlands counts 6.1 million broadband connections (83.6 percent of households)

The Dutch market for broadband connections has risen to a total of 6.126 million connections in the first quarter of this year. Of these connections, approximately 194.400 (3 percent) is via Fiber to the Home (FTTH). The broadband penetration per household in the Netherlands has thus grown to 83.6 percent by May this year. This means an increase of 2.4 percentage points compared to last year.

Internet access is one of the spearheads of Neelie Kroes’ European Digital Agenda. The Digital Agenda sets the goal of having 50% of all European households connected to internet of 100 Mbps or higher by 2020.

Figures from the European country report show that (in 2009) 37.7 percent of the total Dutch population, has a broadband connection. In that respect the Netherlands had the second best European ranking.

KPN remains the largest Dutch internet access provider with a market share of 29.9 percent. Ziggo is second with 24 percent, UPC third with 12.6 percent and Tele2 forth with a market share of 6.8 percent.

The number of broadband connections in the Netherlands is still rising. In the first quarter of 2010 64,000 new connections were made, 4,000 more than in the same period last year.