In its latest report, the France Online Overview, eMarketer projects that 30.9 million French citizens will use the Internet at least once a month in 2007.

By 2011, another 8 million French consumers will join their compatriots online.

Compared with other recent research, Nielsen//NetRatings delivered the lowest 2007 forecast of France’s online population at 24.3 million, and comScore projected 26.5 million.

The Médiamétrie figure of 30.3 million users—representing 57.6% of the country’s population—is roughly equivalent to eMarketer’s.

Much of the Internet growth is fueled by France’s broadband boom.

France in 2004 deregulated its telecommunications market, and the results are reflected in the country’s broadband growth. In 2006, France’s broadband population swelled to 11.2 million consumers, a 26% increase over the previous year.

eMarketer projects that nearly one-half of all French households (48%) will have a broadband connection to the Internet by the end of 2007. By 2011, this figure will grow to nearly two-thirds of all French households.

For the grande vue d'ensemble, please read the new eMarketer report, France Online Overview, today.