High-speed, broadband internet services are being embraced by a broader consumer demographic, with the 45-plus age group now comprising over 40% of US broadband households.
“In a very short period of time, we have witnessed a considerable increase in the number of broadband subscribers over the age of 45,” said Michael Greeson, senior analyst and director of broadband research for Parks Associates. “The most significant percentage growth from 2001 to 2002 occurred in the age segment of 65 and older, which increased from 5% to 7.5% among total US broadband households.”
The 45-54 age group added 1.5 million households in 2002, whilst 25-34s grew by 1.6 million. However, the number of broadband subscribers aged 35-44 increased by only 300,000 households, from 3.4 million to 3.7 million. This age segment now represents only 22.2% of all broadband households, down from 30.8% at year-end 2001, says the report. s