Fast Internet Access & Social Interactions

A new Study by University of Michigan suggests that people who used a fast Internet access also tended to be more social than those who use the dial-up method.
Press Release on NewsWise.com

Many computer users increasingly subscribe to broadband service, most through cable modem and DSL, which allows access to the Internet at a faster speed than narrowband service through a telephone modem. The number of high-speed lines for residential and small business subscribers more than tripled to 26 million in December 2003 from 7.8 million in June 2001, according to the Federal Communications Commission. In recent years, more politicians, including President Bush, have recommended that affordable high-speed Internet access become available to all Americans by 2007.

Kwak's study also supported other published research that broadband is used more often by a younger audience, in part, because of the multimedia availability. But while the research sheds further light on the broadband use, the study's participants were asked about Internet use at home, not at work, school or public libraries.

The findings will be published this month in the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media. U-M doctoral candidates Nathaniel Poor, Marko Skoric and Ann Williams assisted Kwak in the research.