High-Speed Internet Access is the Norm

Lower Manhattan from Brooklyn Bridge Park

Since 2000, the way we access the internet has changed dramatically. At the turn of the century, dial-up still ruled the day as far as internet access was concerned. According to a report from the Pew Internet Project, one in three individuals used a dial-up connection, with a mere 3% accessing the web via a fast connection. High-speed broadband access was enjoyed by a mere 3% of respondents. Thirteen years later, we see that the dial-up connection has dropped precipitously to 3%, while broadband access is the preferred method for 70% of respondents. A substantial 10% have smartphones but lack a high-speed connection at home, while 20% lack both a home broadband connection and smartphone. Broadband access correlates to higher income and education levels, while the lower the age the greater the likelihood of the high-speed connection. As more and more content is streamed via the internet (YouTube, movies, etc.), high-speed connections should continue to dominate for the foreseeable future.

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