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Adoption of broadband has been faster than any other technological product or service, including mobile phones, computers, TVs or iPods, according to estimates from Point Topic based on research in the 40 biggest broadband countries in the world.

"From 2004 to 2008 broadband worldwide grew an average of 28 per cent every year," said Tim Johnson, chief analyst at Point Topic.

He forecasts broadband will grow by another 67 per cent over the next five years to pass 680 million lines worldwide by the end of 2013.

"Now though, countries like South Korea, Japan or Denmark are close to saturation and most people who want

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broadband have it already," Johnson cautioned. "Even in less saturated countries like the US, broadband subscriptions will grow by only about 50 per cent over the next five years."

This saturation in developed countries, coupled with the world entering a period of lower economic growth, even recession in some markets, will slow the worldwide march of broadband in the coming years to an expected 8 per cent per year compound up to 2013.

But there are some countries where the expansion will continue to be spectacular. Fourteen of them will more than double their broadband base by 2013 including India, Vietnam, Colombia, Russia, Venezuela and Brazil.

With its burgeoning economy and huge population India will zoom up the rankings of the largest broadband countries in the world. Currently at number 18 in the charts it will hit number six by the end of 2013, predicts Johnson.

"Central and South America will see the most high-growth countries. Brazil will shortly enter the top 10 broadband countries in the world, most likely before the end of 2008, and again with a decent economic base and a large population hungry for bandwidth it will outperform most other countries in the next five years," he added.