March 14th, 2006
Number of broadband users grows
by Susan Snipes
According to research from Nielsen//NetRatings, the number of broadband Internet users in the U.S. reached its highest ever numbers. 68% of the internet population or 95.5 million as of February 2006 use a high-speed or broadband connection. Broadband connections include cable, and DSL, which are the most common high-speed connections for the home.
The continued growth in broadband is the result of Internet users greater satisfaction. According to Jon Gibs, the senior director of media at Nielsen//NetRatings, using the internet is more of a fluid activity in Web users’ experiences. “In broadband consumers’ minds, activities such as checking account balances, downloading music, watching streaming video and checking email become just another application of the PC rather than a separate activity that happens when they log on to the Internet.”
If you’re reviewing page load time for your Web site or Web application, it’s still crucial to know your audience and what they’re interested in. Would your prospective customers like to see large color photographs of your products, or technical specifications, or an interactive flash presentation where they can zoom in on your specialties? With more than 2/3 of the overall internet population on a high speed connection, we continue to watch growing support for more Web-based services, sales and media.
