The number of broadband subscribers in France had reached 21.774 million by the end of the first quarter of 2011, up slightly from 20.234 million one year previously, according to the latest market report from the country’s telecoms regulatory body Arcep.

The report adds that there were 20.25 million DSL internet connections in France by the end of March 2011, up from 18.9 million one year previously.

The number of subscribers to fibre-based broadband services showed strong annual growth of over 70 per cent during the same period to reach 138,000, according to ARCEP.

Out of the country’s remaining broadband subscriber base, around 378,000 people subscribed to cable broadband by the end of last March and just over one million used alternatives methods such as satellite broadband.