French users set to embrace ADSL

Nearly 60 per cent of French internet users will access the web over ADSL by 2005, according to a study by French research house Arthur D Little.

According to the study, ISPs will begin to offer services in the most densely populated areas once France Telecom unbundles the local loop on 1 January 2001. This will enable rivals to offer lower cost ADSL services to its subscribers. Today, only seven out of every 100 surfers have ADSL, as the high cost of installation and connection is prohibitive to most French users.