from DSSResources.comMore than four in ten U.S. Internet users now have broadband -- doubled in two yearsROCHESTER, N.Y., Sept. 8, 2004 -- The numbers of adults who are online at home, in the office, at school, library or other location continue to grow steadily and at a somewhat more accelerated rate than we have noticed recently. In the past eight months the number of online users has reached 156 million, a seven percent increase. In addition, broadband use continues to grow rapidly -- over four in 10 adults use broadband at home. In research among 2,003 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone in June and August 2004, Harris Interactive(R) found that 73 percent of adults are now online, up from 69 percent in late 2003, 67 percent in late 2002, 64 percent in 2001 and 63 percent in 2000. When we first began to track Internet use in 1995, only 9 percent of adults reported they were online. Internet access increases at home and at work This growth in Internet penetration is a result of increased Internet access at both home and work. The proportion of adults who are now online at home has risen to 65 percent, up from 61 percent in 2003 and 57 percent in 2002. Those online at work have risen modestly to 34 percent from 31 percent in 2003 and 28 percent in 2002. Broadband access increases sharply By far the most striking change in this new Harris Interactive research is the big increase in those with broadband connections. Two years ago, only 22 percent of adults online had broadband (including ISDN, cable, ADSL/DSL, T1 and T3 lines) connections. By October/December 2003, this had increased to 37 percent. It is now up to 44 percent, or more than four in ten, of all those online. The demographic profile of Internet users in the U.S. continues to look like the country as a whole. As Internet penetration rises, the demographic profile of Internet users continues to look more like that of the nation as a whole. It is still true that more young than older people, and more affluent than low-income people, are online. But seven percent (7%) of those online are now over age 65 (compared to 15% of all adults who are over 65), 39 percent of those online (compared to 47% of all adults) did not go to college and 16 percent have incomes of less than $25,000 (compared to 22% of all adults). TABLE 1 TRENDS 1995 - 2004 ONLINE FROM HOME, WORK OR OTHER LOCATION "At home, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At work, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At another location, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "Excluding email, how many hours per week, on average, do you typically spend on the Internet or World Wide Web?" Base: All Adults Online adults Average (Mean) Hours Per Total Online Week Adults Online Online at Other Spent Online at Home at Work Location Online % % % % 2004 June/ August 73 65 34 17 8 2003 October/December 69 61 31 16 9 2002 November/December 67 57 28 18 7 February/March 66 55 30 19 8 2001 September/October 64 52 28 19 7 March/April 64 53 27 20 7 2000 October/November 63 49 29 17 7 April/May 57 45 24 15 7 1999 December 56 46 N/A N/A 7 1998 January/February 35 22 22 N/A N/A 1997 May/June 30 16 18 N/A N/A 1996 June/September 19 16 16 N/A N/A 1995 September/November 9 N/A N/A N/A N/A NOTE: N/A means, "not asked" TABLE 2 PC AND INTERNET USE: TRENDS 1995-2004 "Do you personally use a computer at home, work or another location?" "At home, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At work, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At another location, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" Base: All Adults Percent of Proportion of all adults Computer (from work, home, school or Users other location) Who Are Online Use PC Are Online % % % 2004 June/ August 78 73 93 2003 October/December 75 69 92 2002 November/December 74 67 92 February/March 74 66 90 2001 September/October 73 64 88 March/April 72 64 89 2000 October/November 74 63 85 April/May 69 57 83 1999 December 69 56 81 June/July 65 48 74 January/February 63 41 65 1998 January/February 63 35 56 1997 May/June 61 30 49 1996 June/September 54 19 35 1995 September/November 50* 9 18 NOTES: 1. All samples of 2,000 or more adults, conducted by telephone. 2. "Use Internet" includes all adults who use Internet from home, office, school, library or other location. * Estimated from other sources. TABLE 3 PROFILE OF ONLINE POPULATION (June-August 2004) "At home, do you personally use a computer to Access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At work, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At another location, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" Base: All adults Total U.S. Adult Total U.S. Percentage Online Adult Point Population Population Difference % % % AGE 18 - 29 26 21 +5 30 - 39 23 19 +4 40 - 49 22 20 +2 50 - 64 20 21 -1 65 + 7 15 -8 SEX Men 49 48 +1 Women 51 52 -1 RACE/ETHNICITY White 75 74 +1 Black 10 11 -1 Hispanic 12 11 +1 EDUCATION High school or less 39 47 -8 Some college 30 27 +3 College graduate (or postgraduate) 30 24 +6 HOUSEHOLD INCOME Less than $25,000 16 22 -6 $25,000 to less than $50,000 21 22 -1 $50,000 and over 48 39 +9 TABLE 4 ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF ADULTS WHO ARE ONLINE (IN MILLIONS) "At home, do you personally use a computer to Access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At work, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" "At another location, do you personally use a computer to access the Internet/World Wide Web?" Base: All Adults In Millions 2004 June/August 156* 2003 October/December 146 2002 November/December 140 February/March 137 2001 September/October 127 March/April 126 2000 October/November 121 April/May 114 1999 December 113 1998 January/February 70 1997 May/June 59 1996 June/September 33 1995 September/November 17.5 * Based on July 2004 U.S. Census projections (214,000,000 total adults aged 18 or over) TABLE 5 TYPE OF INTERNET CONNECTION "What type of Internet connection do you have for your home computer or other primary computer?" Base: Adults online February/ November/ October/ June/ March December December August 2002 2002 2003 2004 % % % % 14.4k modem 1 2 2 1 28.8k modem 4 5 4 4 33.6k modem 2 2 2 2 56k modem 39 29 20 23 ISDN line 1 1 1 1 Cable modem 13 14 21 22 ADSL/DSL 7 11 14 19 T1 or T3 line 1 1 2 2 Other 4 6 6 4 Not sure 27 27 25 21 Decline to answer 1 2 2 1 TOTAL BROADBAND* 22% 27% 37% 44% *Includes ISDN, cable, ADSL/DSL, T1 or T3 lines. Methodology This Harris Poll is based on 2,003 interviews with adults (aged18+) conducted by telephone within the United States during June and August 2004. Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults and number of voice/telephone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population. In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 2 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. ____________________________________________ June 2004: J21491 August 2004: J21930 About Harris Interactive(R) Harris Interactive (http://www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide market research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll(R) and for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international research from its U.S. offices and through wholly owned subsidiaries-London-based HI Europe (http://www.hieurope.com), Paris-based Novatris and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan-as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of independent market- and opinion-research firms. EOE M/F/D/V To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, visit http://www.harrispollonline.com. The Harris Poll(R) #63 Internet Use, September 8, 2004 David Krane is Senior Vice President of Harris Interactive Public Policy Research and editor of The Harris Poll SOURCE Harris Interactive Web Site: http://www.harrisinteractive.com http://www.harrispollonline.com Nancy Wong Harris Interactive 585-214-7316 Kelly Gullo Harris Interactive 585-214-7172 |