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June 24, 2002

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Pew study: Broadband adoption doing just fine, thanks

A recent report from the Pew Internet and American Life Project says U.S. broadband deployment is proceeding at a reasonable pace, and broadband users are finding a wide variety of uses for their Internet connections:

[H]ome broadband adoption rates [are] on par with the adoption of other popular technologies, such as the personal computer and the compact disc player, and faster than color TV and the VCR.

Some have raised the concern that a lack of compelling online content, particularly in the entertainment arena, has dampened consumer uptake of broadband. Our research suggests that most early broadband adopters find plenty to do with their fast connections, especially when it comes to creating online content and performing information searches.

[...]

Broadband connections are changing people's lifestyles. The Internet is the "go to" tool for a variety of functions -- paying a bill, updating photos on the family Web page, listening to music, sharing files with co-workers, or getting news. For these users, the Internet replaces multiple tools, such as the telephone, TV, stereo, newspaper, fax machine, or pen, to carry out tasks.

[...]

Several broadband users, responding to the Pew Internet online query, complained that downloading movies is extremely time-consuming even with a broadband connection, with one calling it "a sheer waste of time."

Posted by Seth Schoen at 06:02 PM