Faster than any other consumer technology, broadband achieved more than 50% adoption according to Pew Internet. Iceland leads the EU27 in household broadband penetration, according to a survey by EUROSTAT. Among active Internet users, broadband grew to 86.3% in November 2007.
Home Broadband Penetration Breaks 50% Adoption Faster than other Consumer Technologies
With overall home broadband penetration breaking 50% in a September 2007 survey, Pew Internet found that broadband was adopted by a majority of consumers faster than other technologies. Broadband took 10 years to break 50% adoption, followed by the CD Player at 10.5 years, the VCR at 14 years, cell phones took 15 years, color TVs took 18 years, as did the personal computer (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Adoption Time for Consumer Technology
Source: Pew Internet
Iceland Leads EU27 in Broadband Penetration Rankings
Iceland (76%), the Netherlands (74%), Denmark (70%), Sweden (67%), and Norway (67%) lead the EU27+ in household broadband penetration, according to a second quarter 2007 survey by Eurostat. Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece trail the EU27 in broadband penetration (see Figure 2). Overall, 42% of households use broadband to access the Internet in Europe.
Figure 2: EU27+ Broadband Penetration by Country (Home), 2006 & 2007
Source: EUROSTAT
Home Connectivity in the US
US broadband penetration grew to 86.29% among active Internet users in November 2007. Narrowband users connecting at 56Kbps or less now make up 13.71% of active Internet users, down 0.38 percentage points from 14.09% October 2007 (see Figure 3).
Figure 3: Web Connection Speed Trends – Home Users (US)
Source: Nielsen Online
Broadband Growth Trends in the US
In November 2007, broadband penetration in US homes grew 0.38 percentage points to 86.29% up from 85.91% in October. This increase of 0.38 points is below the average increase in broadband of 0.69 points per month over the last six months (see Figure 4). At current growth rates, broadband penetration among active Internet users will break 90 percent by May 2008.
Figure 4. Broadband Adoption Growth Trend – Home Users (US)
Extrapolated from Nielsen Online data
Work Connectivity
As of November 2007, 94.83% of US workers connected to the Internet with broadband, up 0.19 percentage points from the 94.64% share in October. At work 5.17% connect at 56Kbps or less (see Figure 5).
Figure 5: Web Connection Speed Trends – Work Users (US)
Source: Nielsen Online
Further Reading
- Horrigan, J., “Why We Don’t Know Enough About Broadband in the U.S.,”
- Pew Internet, Nov. 14, 2007. (Dec. 17, 2007).
- Nielsen Online
- Provided the US broadband penetration “Net Ratings” data for active Internet users for the Bandwidth Report.
- Smihily, M., “Internet usage in 2007 Households and individuals,” Eurostat, Nov. 29, 2007 (Dec. 17, 2007).