Broadband internet penetration gaining in small markets
August 20, 2009
Despite lagging behind major urban centers, rural and smaller markets are gaining ground in broadband internet penetration, according to a study released by comScore.
The analysis of the nation's fastest growing local markets in broadband adoption found that the top-growing markets were all smaller. The Ft. Myers-Naples, Fklorida market was the fastest growing in the country with a 12-percentage point increase in broadband penetration from Q1 2008 to Q1 2009.
Flint-Saginaw-Bay City, Michigan; Louisville, Kentucky; and Evansville, Indiana all experienced 11-percentage point increases during the same period, conScore reported.
"Across the country we have witnessed growth in broadband adoption driven by greater price competition and increased consumer demand, as bandwidth-intense activities like video streaming and peer-to-peer sharing continue to grow," said Brian Jurutka, vice president of telecommunications at comScore.
Rural markets in the U.S. experienced a 16-percentage point increase in broadband penetration from Q2 2007 to Q2 2009, making it the fastest growing geographic market segment in the nation.
Even though rural markets have experienced significant growth, their broadband penetration of 75 percent remains well below the national average of 89 percent.
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