Broadband is here to stay...

The Pew Internet and the American Life Project just released an interest research memo on broadband adoption in the home, and for anyone arguing that people aren't into having Internet access in their homes, well, you're wrong.

First of all, consider the fact that 71% of all adults use the Internet frequently, and 62% have an Internet connection at home. And those connections aren't all dial-up. In fact, almost 1/2 of Americans (47%) now have a broadband connection at home, reflecting a 5% increase from the previous year. While broadband use continues to be less prevelant in rural areas, growth in rural areas is faster than in other parts of the country.

Perhaps most interesting is the fact that one of the fastest growing demographics for broadband adoption is the African America community, with over 40% of homes boasting a broadband connection. That's nearly triple the number in early 2005. Oh, and according to Pew "...the number of home broadband users in early 2007 is now roughly as large (on a percentage basis) as the entire universe of internet users in the first year of the [Pew] surveys of online use."

Seems that this Internet thing is pretty popular, not just for work and communication but for home entertainment as well. Clearly, people are flocking to faster connection speeds for a reason. Could that reason be the desire to upload their own content (as well as to access new forms of content from other users (like video)?)

Sounds pretty e-scapist to me!