Broadband Use Increases

by Sandy Berger

More Americans are now using high-speed broadband connections like DSL and Cable to access the Internet. Nielsen/NetRatings just announced that their survey of 50,000 participants showed that 51% of the U. S. home Internet users are now accessing online information via broadband connections. This is a significant increase from the 38% that used broadband connections last year. Broadband connections include ISDN, cable modems and DSL. Narrowband connections are also called dial-up connections because they emply a regular home telephone line and a modem to dial a connection to the Internet.

Cable, telephone companies and Internet Service Providers have been successful in enticing computer users to upgrade to broadband with a myriad of special offers. This strategy is working to increase the number of broadband users who find it impossible to go back to the slower dial-up connections once they have experienced the faster broadband Internet. The move to richer, more interactive content on the Internet plus the increase of videos and other multi-media content is also convincing some users that it is time to ditch their old dial-up connection.

The Nielsen/NetRatings found that the younger crowd, people ages 18 to 20, were the first to embrace the faster technology with 59% of them using broadband. The majority of the more mature group of people over 50 is still using dial-up connections. Ages 65 and over had the lowest percentage of broadband use at 34%.

A similar report this past Spring from the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed that 55 percent of all adult Internet users  -- 68 million people -- have access to high-speed connections either at home or at work.

Speedy broadband Internet connections are more expensive than dial-up connections, but they don’t tie up the telephone line or require the installation of an extra telephone line. It is not surprising that more than 68 million people have found the Internet is more enjoyable with a broadband connection. I use a cable Internet connection at both home and work and find that it makes surfing more enjoyable and working more productive. Since broadband connections are “always one”, you don’t have to wait for the computer to connect to the Internet, which means that the Internet is much more useable and accessable.