It's the first week of 2019 and the perfect time to assess people's priorities when it comes to the state of internet connectivity in their homes. Given that 2018 saw lots of progress and strides in broadband adoption and expansion, it's more important than ever to evaluate what users are looking for in a broadband connection, and how America's broadband providers are meeting their digital needs.
In a poll conducted by Morning Consult last month, the majority of people—62 percent—are receiving their internet service from a cable broadband provider.
Most broadband internet users—69 percent—reported that they were satisfied with their service in terms of signal strength, reliability and speed.
Respondents also overwhelmingly prioritized reliability, affordability, and speed in a broadband internet service.
Particularly noteworthy is that more young adults in the 18-34 age group—37 percent—said they considered speed as the most important factor of broadband internet service, with reliability coming in second at 27 percent. Adults outside of that age group were more likely to choose reliability as the number one factor in an internet connection.
America's broadband providers have invested $290 billion in the last two decades to update networks, roll out ultra-fast internet service, and reach every region across the country, and the work is paying off. Now, 80 percent of U.S. homes have access to gigabit speeds, and Comcast and Cox both experienced record-breaking numbers in reaching more eligible families through their broadband adoption programs that offer generous service discounts and training in internet safety and navigation.
The most important part of all of this is that consumers are benefiting from these massive deployments and network upgrades, and ISPs are continuing to deliver internet connections that consumers can rely on to engage in the rich media experiences of today and tomorrow.