40 Million Internet Users Connect Via Broadband

NEW YORK, June 17 -- Thirty-nine million, or 13 percent, of Americans connect to the Internet via broadband, according to a Nielsen//NetRatings report. Home users of broadband grew 49 percent year-over-year, while narrowband users declined 12 percent in May 2003, according to the Internet audience measurement and analysis firm.

Despite higher growth rates for broadband, there are nearly twice as many narrowband users as broadband users in the US. 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, according to the report.

Of narrowband users, the 28.8/33.6 Kb/s group experienced the biggest decline of 16 percent to 10.1 million users, while the 56 Kb/s group had the biggest drop, in sheer size, of 7.4 million users, or a 12 percent decrease.

"We're seeing the mainstreaming of broadband as more and more modem users migrate to high-speed, especially as broadband costs continue to drop," said Marc Ryan, director of analysis at Nielsen//NetRatings. "Clearly, people are discovering the perks of high-speed access, from streaming video and audio to rich media."

For more information, visit: www.nielsen-netratings.com