Podcasting is taking off, according to recent data from Nielsen//NetRatings and Apple. Unique users of Apple’s iTunes player passed QuickTime in mid-2005, and at current growth rates iTunes should pass RealPlayer by mid-2006. People are tuning in over twice as long with iTunes than with RealPlayer or Windows Media Player. US broadband penetration jumped 1.33 percentage points in February 2006 to 68% among active Internet users. At current growth rates broadband penetration should break 70% in April of 2006.
Archives: Bandwidth Report
Internet Videos Spawn Performance Anxiety – Rural-Urban Broadband Gap Closing – US Broadband Penetration at 66.7% Among Active Internet Users – February 2006 Bandwidth Report
Streaming media is hot, but servers and users are even hotter. As higher bandwidth content streams to more bandwidth-hungry users quality of service can suffer. Some industry experts are wondering if the existing infrastructure can scale to handle the load. Meanwhile, the rural-urban broadband gap is closing according to PEW Internet. The US continued its inexorable climb to 66.67% in broadband penetration among active Internet users in January 2006.
By Website Optimization on February 28, 2006China will pass US in Broadband Lines by late 2006 – Worldwide Broadband Survey – US Broadband Penetration Breaks 65% Among Active Internet Users – January 2006 Bandwidth Report
At its current growth rate of over 90% per year, China will pass the US in total broadband subscribers by late 2006 to become the largest broadband country in the world. The US has fallen to 19th overall in household broadband penetration, and is in danger of being passed by Slovenia in early 2007. Israel leads all Middle Eastern and African countries, and is the third country overall in broadband penetration. Hong Kong leads the Pacific Rim, with a broadband penetration rate of over 73%. Meanwhile, in December 2005 the US passed 65% in broadband penetration among active Internet users.
By Website Optimization on January 23, 2006Telcos Tout Two-Tier Internet – Hotel Broadband Battles – US Broadband Penetration Nears 65% – December 2005 Bandwidth Report
AT&T and BellSouth are lobbying Congress to create a two-tier Internet where their own services would be transmitted faster than their competitors. The battle is largely over video transmission, which requires prioritized delivery for the larger bundles of bits needed for smooth display. Google, Yahoo, and others major sites are fighting the legislation that Congress is considering. In other broadband news some hotels are blocking VoIP, 1 in 10 Xmas cards are sent over the Internet, and broadband penetration in the US rose to 64.89% in November 2005.
By Website Optimization on December 19, 2005US Passes Singapore to 15th in Global Broadband Penetration – US Broadband Grows to 63.8% among Active Internet Users – November 2005 Bandwidth Report
The USA has passed Singapore to 15th overall in global broadband penetration per 100 inhabitants. The US rose from 16th to 15th place overall in broadband penetration passing Singapore in a November 2005 ITU report.
By Website Optimization on November 14, 2005UK Passes US in Broadband Penetration – US Falls to 13th Overall yet leads all countries in total subscribers – October 2005 Bandwidth Report
UK broadband penetration passed the US on a per-capita basis in August 2005. The US continued its fall to 13th place among all OECD countries, according to our extrapolation of OECD survey data and Point Topic. However, the US leads all countries in total broadband subscribers, with twice that of Japan. Finland, the Netherlands, and Norway lead the pack in broadband penetration growth. US Broadband penetration climbed to 62.46% in September 2005, up 1.14 percentage points from 61.32% in August.
By Website Optimization on October 24, 2005US Broadband Breaks 60% among Active Internet Users, but growth slows – UK Broadband Penetration Nears 75% at Home – September 2005 Bandwidth Report
Broadband penetration in the US broke 60% for the first time in August. In August 2005, U.S. broadband penetration jumped 1.4 percentage points to 61.32% among active Internet users. According to a recent study however, broadband growth in the US is slowing down. Meanwhile, 74.5% of wired Britons enjoy a broadband connection at home.
By Website Optimization on September 28, 2005FCC Ignores Digital Divide While US Broadband Drops Worldwide – US Broadband Penetration Nears 60% in July – August 2005 Bandwidth Report
The Free Press, Consumers Union, and the Consumer Federation of America respond to the July FCC report with a report titled “Broadband Reality Check” claiming that the US government is stifling broadband competition in favor of the DSL/Cable duopoly. Meanwhile, the US has dropped from 13th to 16th worldwide in broadband penetration. In July, US broadband penetration jumped 1.35 percentage points to 59.92% among active Internet users. By August, US broadband penetration should break 60%.
By Website Optimization on August 18, 2005FCC Fudging Broadband Figures? – US Broadband Penetration Jumps to 58.6% in June – July 2005 Bandwidth Report
The FCC’s recent broadband penetration report has critics wondering about its accuracy. Is the FCC fudging US broadband figures to avoid taking “immediate action” or artificially inflate penetration rates to help the President meet his stated goal of “universal, affordable access to broadband by 2007”? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, in June, US broadband jumped 1.36 percentage points to 58.57% among active Internet users.
By Website Optimization on July 29, 2005US-Canadian Broadband Penetration Gap at 20 Points – US Broadband Penetration Crawls to 58.8% in May – June 2005 Bandwidth Report
Continuing last year’s trend, Canada leads the US in broadband penetration by 20 percentage points. As of March 2005, Canadians enjoy a broadband penetration rate of 77%, while only 57% of the wired US population has broadband. In May, US broadband penetration crept up by 0.36 percentage points to 58.82% among active Internet users.
By Website Optimization on June 21, 2005