LCD sales may taper off post-Mundial, but WiFi growth means more broadband accounts in Argentina.

Sales of LCD TV’s in Argentina are currently up 150% over last year, but many analysts say those numbers will taper off once the World Cup is over. The growth of new Internet subscribers, however, should continue its upward trajectory as more Argentine residents and businesses seek broadband access to online content. According to infobae.com, over 700,000 new residential users signed up for Internet service between March 2009 and March 2010 raising the number of online households to 4.1 million. During the same period, the number of Argentine businesses adding Internet service increased 48% and the number of broadband accounts grew 58%. One number moving in the opposite direction is the number of e-mails sent, as Argentines sent 7.7% fewer correos electrónicos compared to one year ago. This statistic partially reflects the growing preference among Argentines—individuals and businesses alike—for communicating via social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and blogs. ADSL accounts for 62% of Argentine broadband connections, and cable modems represent another 24% of users. As we’ve noted previously, the rapid growth and popularity of WiFi has prompted the rush to broadband in Buenos Aires and other major cities in Argentina. The most recent rankings of global Internet usage show 49% of Argentines have Internet access compared to 50% of Chileans, and 36% of Brazilians. (Full Story in Spanish)