As broadband speeds are often a function of demand, In-Stat (News - Alert) reported this week that the U.S. residential broadband speeds continue to increase. Despite the climb, however, the pace is slower than the previous year; between year-end 2008 and year-end 2009, downstream bandwidth rose by 28 percent, according to In-Stat research.

 

Broadband service subscribers are becoming increasingly aware of the capabilities – and the limitations – of their broadband connection, according to Mike Paxton, an In-Stat analyst.

 

“More and more broadband subscribers know the speed of their broadband connections, or at least they know the speed claims made by their broadband service provider,” Paxton said.

 

Recent research by In-Stat found the following:

 

·         The average downstream speed of a U.S. broadband connection is 7.12Mbps.

·         Broadband speed increases were most dramatic among cable modem and fixed wireless subscribers.

·         The broadband speed increase among cable modem subscribers was about double that of fiber-to-the-home subscribers.

 

More than one quarter of survey respondents also had a mobile wireless broadband connection in addition to their wired broadband connection.

 

As TMCnet reported in September 2009, national broadband speeds are determined by population density and population distribution, it is much easier to deliver higher speed broadband services in ultra dense metropolitan areas, according to In-Stat officials.

 

According to a study released by the Communications Workers of America, the average Internet download speed in the United States is improving, but it is still slower than in 27 other countries, TMCnet reported.

 

The research, “U.S. Residential Broadband Speeds Accelerate,” covers the U.S. market for broadband.