Avoiding tunnel vision in international broadband comparisons

Australia ranks 34th in the OECD for 100Mbps+ service adoption, necessitating a shift toward holistic digital capability metrics.

Heath Gibson · Executive Manager – Industry Intelligence and Insights at NBN Australia21 July 2023Period: July 20234 min read

Last updated 8 June 2026

23rd↓

Australia's OECD rank for fixed broadband penetration (2022)

34th↓

Australia's OECD rank for share of 100Mbps+ services (Dec 2022)

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Companies covered:nbnOECDOoklaEuropean Commission

Abstract

This report analyses Australia's declining position in international broadband rankings, noting a drop to 23rd place in OECD fixed broadband penetration during 2022. While Australia remains a middle-of-the-pack performer in penetration, it ranks 34th out of 38 nations for the share of users on speeds of 100Mbps or faster. The brief argues that policy makers should move beyond narrow speed-based benchmarks toward a multi-dimensional index, similar to Europe's Digital Economy & Society Index (DESI), to better reflect national digital capability.

Key Takeaways

Australia's fixed broadband penetration fell to 23rd among 38 OECD member states in 2022, a drop of three places year-on-year.
The nation ranks 34th out of 38 for the share of fixed broadband users on speeds of 100 Mbps or faster as of December 2022.
Historically, Australia has remained a 'middle of the pack' performer, ranging between 16th and 24th for penetration over the last decade.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Australia currently ranks 23rd out of 38 OECD nations for fixed broadband penetration as of 2022. This represents a three-place decline year-on-year, though the nation has historically fluctuated between 16th and 24th place over the last decade.

Australia ranks 34th out of 38 nations for the share of fixed broadband users on speeds of 100Mbps or faster. However, speed is a poor proxy for overall digital health; for example, Chile has a 90% high-speed adoption rate but only two-thirds of Australia's total penetration.

Venture Insights recommends moving away from narrow speed metrics toward a multi-dimensional index similar to the European Commission’s DESI. This framework would better reflect national digital capability and help policy makers weigh the economic benefits against the subsidy costs of pushing for higher speed tiers.

Avoiding tunnel vision in international broadband comparisons

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