19/05/2005

Internet connectivity increases on broadband popularity

The number of active subscriptions to the Internet increased by 4.9% between March 2004 and March 2005, according to the latest survey of Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

The market share for permanent connections continued to increase in March, now accounting for 47.6% of all connections, compared to 27.1% a year earlier. There was a year-on-year increase of 84.4% in subscriptions for permanent connections, with a monthly increase in March of 4.6%.

Dial-up Internet connections have continued to decrease, with a year-on-year fall to March 2005 of 24.5%. The latest monthly decrease – from February to March 2005 – was 3.2%. The share of dial-up connections dropped to 52.4% of all connections in March 2005.

The latest figures showed a continuation of the move from slower dial-up connections to quicker broadband, cable and leased line technologies.

The percentage of active subscriptions using free access or billed access fell to 29% in March 2005, compared with 36% a year before. The percentage of those paying a fixed rate for unmetered dial-up access also fell to 20%, compared to 32% a year before, while the percentage of active subscriptions using a mixed subscription type, like fixed rate plus calls, also dropped to 3%.

However, always-on subscriptions rose to 48%, an increase from 27% in March 2004.

(KMcA/SP)

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