(Telecompaper) New G.fast copper technology services will be serving nearly 30 million subscriber homes and businesses around the world by 2021, according to an Ovum report for NBN and BT. Although the first commercial G.fast services aren't due to launch until next year, the report predicts that the technology will rapidly expand to support 29 million subscribers, or 3 percent of the global fixed broadband market, in just four years. Take-up of G.fast is expected to be particularly strong in Europe, with operators including BT, Swisscom, Deutsche Telekom, Telekom Austria and Proximus (Belgium) all planning to deploy G.fast technology to deliver affordable broadband connectivity quickly and cost-effectively, said the report, adding that about 11 percent of broadband services in Western Europe may be delivered via G.fast within five years.