Nielsen//NetRatings says 39 million, or 13% of Americans, go online via broadband in the US, the highest number to date.

Broadband users at-home grew 49% year-over-year, while narrowband users declined 12% during May 2003.

"Despite higher growth rates for broadband, there are nearly twice as many narrowband users as broadband users in the U.S," says the company.

"In comparison, last year there were three times as many narrowband users as broadband users. Narrowband users continue to outweigh broadband users with 69.6 million users."

Pretty low number for broadband use in the US. Taiwan has higher percentage, as does Korea. Could this be a side effect of the RIAA and MPAA's continual attack on internet users, application developers, and technology they don't control in general?

I tried Moveielink (MPAA endorsed)when it came out. I also tried Movie88 which was shut down by the MPAA. At MovieLink the movie was $4.99 The quality was terrible. You could only watch it once, and you had to download the enitre thing (720MB for Harry Potter) approx 2 hours on cable. Or I could pay $1 stream it via RealMedia in realtime. The quality was just as bad, and you could only watch it in a small window (any larger it just went to garbage, unless you sat across the room) But I could watch it as many times as three days would allow, plus Movie 88 had a larger number of movies available.

With no compelling legal content online be it movies, music or whatever the usage of broadband in the US will continue to lag behind the rest of the developed world...It is the access, not the "free" that is compelling.

well, I would assume most people (including myself) can't afford broadband yet. Not when they ask for $99 for installation, and then require standard cable TV subscriptions.. I was quoted over $100/month.. all I have to say is SCREWWWWW that!!

Next option would be DSL, but in our location, it's not available.
Next option after that would be satellite. But again, our location (and building) doesn't allow it...

So this is why I'm still on dialup. I'm not happy with it, and want broadband big-time. With all the online work I do, dialup just doesn't cut it anymore. Prices seem like they're dropping slightly, but still out of reach for most of us..

..and to top that off, their website said $54.99 as a combo of cable/internet. Of course I'll have to add some taxes, modem rental, etc., shouldn't no where near add up to over $100/month :roll:

Broadband isn't too expensive..just look for the specials. I have digital cable w/ HBO, and a 2.0Mbps connection for 80 bucks a month. Can't beat that!

Verizon and other high-speed ISPs better work harder against the RIAA, or they'll lose most of their high-speed internet customers.

What other reason is there to have high-speed internet except for downloading music faster?

It's also online 24-7 for no excess charge, more stable, you can still use the phone while online (without a second phone line), and it's better for all active online activities - downloading, uploading, script writing/webpage building, online games, the list goes on.

my cable bill is $110.00 a mnth but I will never go back to aol or any kind of garbage phone line 56k bullshit

my bill for broadband is 70 a month, basic cable and hi speed internet access. First three months of hi speed were 1 dollar (install special).
there was no installation charge or modem deposit.
Ill never go back to dial up.

~time flies~

Funny, since I might be SUED for downloading music files by the RIAA, I am seriously considering DUMPING the expensive broadband connection and going back to using a dial-up service. Why? Why should I pay premium dollars for broadband when the sole purpose I have it (to download music) will get me sued? Especially since the cable service I currently use for broadband (COMCAST) has done NOTHING to protect its customers. I say money talks and B.S. walks, and I think I'll take my money ELSEWHERE.

Now that's funny. So the only music you download is RIAA music? Hee hee.

I have dial-up, with a 56K modem. My boy's roommate has DSL. It was slow and crappy. I'll stick with my 12 bucks/month unlimited access and 3 minutes per meg DLs.

I use cable also, it is cheaper to use cable than a phone line then aol or msn or aho ever. THe pacage I have is 54.00 a month, and that includes the basic basic package and the first 6 months was tweenty busck. I will never go back to dial up, I even had my phone disconected cause I use a cell for phone calls. Qwest and aol were 70 bucks a month. saved some cash.

I have cable/internet with 7 premium HBO's and 10 all music stations for $89 per month, and believe me, dial up is a nightmare I am daily celebrating to not have to have. The actual cost of adding the internet per month is $25, only $5 more than the crappy dial up, and I never have to wait and I never get bumped off. I had no installation charge as I was already a cable subscriber...but my cable company has frequent free hook up specials.

I pay 109.00 for high-speed access, digital and basic cable. I think its worth every dime. I had satelite since the early 80's it was wonderful..I live in the sticks..lol. Two years ago I got satelite for the computer, it was better than dial-up, but there were LOTS of problems. I was happy when cable for computer was finally offered here. I will NEVER go back

I pay $20 a month for dial up, and $20 a month for a phone line. I can get 3mbit/128k cable for $34/mo, IF I lived about 20 miles north of where I live. Until then I'm stuck with dialup or a $500 installation fee plus 80-100$ a month for satellite. I'll stick to dial-up until something reasonable comes out for remote users like me. I have high hopes for www.wildblue.com but they've already postponed 1yr so I'm getting doubtful.

narrowband does not rule!, its just a lot of people don't want to or can't get broadband.

Satellite is an option for some, tho its still pricey and still depends on a phone line for outgoing requests (satellites receive data only).
I havent checked for a long time but it used to be like 70bux a month, but it wasnt unlimited access. I suspect the cost will come down.
DSL is getting more affordable and available as well.
I find scafys' experience odd, as most ppl are very happy with their broadband DSL...

~time flies~

I don't use cable TV at all, but my 2.5mbps cable internet access is $29.95 for the first three months and then $44.95. I've been on it for ~week now and I've got to say it kicks ass. Nothing like taking a 10mb download for Acrobat 5 in ~30 seconds (350k/second).

what's "narrowband"?....for that matter, what's "broadband"?

ummm alot of broadband has to do with TimeWarner doesn't it? Like as in Parent Company bullcrap? Ya know it goes with the territory. It all has to do with the industry am I right? I'm considering getting rid of my broadband I want these people to drown in their High Horse Dung!

...I mean from the physical standpoint.
Physically speaking, what are broadband
and narrowband?

broadband = dsl, t1-t3, cable, satellite
narrowband = crap err, 26k-128k

narrowband is phone line internet basically(besides dsl)

I've seen people mention Verizon, Comcast, and Time-Warner. Who in here uses or have used Mediacom? What does it cost you? This is the service that offers cable in my town. I've heard locally that their service does indeed rock, but at the price they quoted me, there's no way atm. Maybe when they drop prices or offer a special (which they have previously when I had no money), will I make it an option.

zeitgheist .. satelite you can D/L and U/L at least when I had Starband we could. There was another I saw about the same time, that you could only download from. I paid 65.00 a month for that service. Its a great alternative if you don't have cable or DSL in the area.I was glad once we did get cable as it is much more stable.

thefirstnutzo: Don't count to much on wildblue.. i had been waiting for that also..big promises. That was 2 years ago.. they kept saying it was going to go..then nothing

hallo, australian hear, just to shit u all a little bit, here we have unlimited, uncapped cable plans for the equiv of $40USD a month, with about a $80USD installation fee, the increase in the number of cable users is astounding and the service is benefitting from that. im sorry to hear the ass amounts of money u guys have to pay for cable. hay, move out to aus (Y)