Middle Class Goes Broadband As Price Falls

Associated Press via MyWay.com ^ | May 29, 2006 | Peter Svensson

[RayChuang88]

NEW YORK (AP) - Middle- and working-class Americans signed up for high-speed Internet access in record numbers in the past year, apparently lured by a price war among phone companies.

Broadband adoption increased 59 percent from March last year to March 2006 among U.S. households with incomes between $30,000 and $50,000, according to a survey to be released Monday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

[RayChuang88]

The rapid drop in the price of especially ADSL broadband is one of the major reasons why the MSM is suffering. Why be tied to the political views of your local newspaper or TV station when you get far more information and views online?

And with broadband, streaming multimedia actually becomes a pleasure to use, not to mention the fact paid music services like the iTunes Music Store become very viable, too. This is why you see a lot of radio websites offer (mostly on a paid basis) an archive of their talk show broadcasts for download in .MP3 format so people can listen to them on their computers and portable music players; this is called podcasting, named after the Apple iPod, the #1 brand name in portable music players.

[Drew68]

The last year I had a land-line phone was in 2001 and the only reason I had it was for dial-up internet access. I used my cell phone for making and receiving calls. Now I have a cable modem (I love it. It has never not worked.) and I don't ever foresee a reason for having a land-line phone again.

[cripplecreek]

Cable modem here.

[digger48]

My BB is considerably less than the subscriprions I USED to have to 2 papers.

And I actually get to see what DOESN'T get printed.

[sonofagun]

I live in one of those blackholes in Indiana which has neither cable internet access no DSL.

I'm green with envy.

[Gay State Conservative]

live in one of those blackholes in Indiana which has neither cable internet access no DSL. I'm green with envy.

Don't envy those who have access to cable.It's outrageously expensive.Unfortunately,I can't get DSL in the complex in which I live,although it is available in my neighborhood...for about $25/month less than cable.

IMO,downloading video and music are the only reasons why one might need broadband and given that I do neither I'm on the verge of going back to dial-up and saving $35/month.

[Graybeard58]

I dumped my land line about that time too. I have not regretted it yet and don't expect that I will.

[JenB]

I don't know anyone under thirty who has a land line phone. Why bother? A basic cell phone package costs about the same, is portable, and you usually get free nights and weekends to make your long distance calls.

It does mean that cable internet is usually as cheap as DSL, since most DSL makes you pay for a phone line. I love cable modems.

[Drew68]

It does mean that cable internet is usually as cheap as DSL, since most DSL makes you pay for a phone line. I love cable modems.

My biggest complaint now is with Comcast. They're offering sweetheart deals to new customers that were never offered to older ones and then telling us long time customers basically to "get bent!" People I know who are signing up for basic cable/internet packages now are paying about $60 month while my bill for the same service hovers around $100. Thanks for rewarding loyalty, Comcast!

[Drew68]

I don't know anyone under thirty who has a land line phone.

Me neither but I think of my parents who are both in their 60s and are determined to keep a land-line phone. This is despite the fact that they both have cell phones and cable internet. I guess their mindset is that cell phones are only to be used for important or emergency calls while away from home and if they want to talk on the phone they can do so from the kitchen like they have been doing for the last 60 years.