The number of DSL lines in the UK grew 90 per cent in the second half of 2002, according to the latest stats from broadband research outfit Point Topic.

The UK outstripped France (87 per cent), Finland (82 per cent) and Switzerland (78 per cent) - only coming second to China, which notched up DSL growth of a whopping 214 per cent.

Instead, its league tables are dominated by the likes of the US, South Korea, Japan and Germany.

For example, the US added 888,000 subscribers in the first half of the year, and 1.2m in the second half.

In Germany, H1 DSL additions totaled 732,000, compared to 640,000 in H2. South Korea saw an increase of 556,000 in H1 followed by 704,000. Japan added 1.78m DSL lines followed by 2.34m in H2.

Overall, Point Topic reports that the second half of 2002 saw stronger DSL growth compared to the first six months of 2002 with almost every top 50 country racking up double-digit growth in the six months to the end of December.

Said Point Topic: "Broadband continues to be a telecoms success story, delivering substantial and sustainable growth. In difficult times for the communications industry, operators all around the world continue to sign up new subscribers to DSL services." ®