BROADBAND PENETRATION in the Republic grew at the third-fastest rate among 30 industrial countries last year, according to a new study.

Despite the rapid growth, at 18.1 subscribers per 100 inhabitants penetration in Ireland still lags the average of 20 for the 30-nation Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Ireland is ranked 20th in the OECD's broadband league table. The Republic has moved up three places since statistics for the first half of 2007 were published, having overtaken Spain and Italy.

The OECD states that the Republic had 767,800 broadband subscribers at the end of 2007. This figure does not include mobile broadband subscribers which receive service over 3G networks. Mobile operators Vodafone, O2 and 3 Ireland have claimed combined subscribers of more than 170,000 for these services. Including these subscriptions would increase penetration in Ireland to 22.1 per 100 inhabitants, on a par with Japan in 17th place and average for the EU15 before the 2004 enlargement.

Taylor Reynolds, of the OECD's information and communications policy division, said a proposal would be put to member countries in the coming months on how mobile broadband subscribers would be defined and counted.

He noted growth in this access method is particularly rapid in Ireland, Australia and the US.

Denmark continues to have the highest level of broadband usage at 35.1 per 100, followed by The Netherlands (34.8) and Iceland (32.2).

In advance of the publication of the figures, Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan said it was important to look at the services that would make broadband attractive to people and not just at the infrastructure in isolation.

"We need to have ubiquity and then we can concentrate on getting broadband speeds up and prices down," said Mr Ryan.