said by Transmaster :

All you have to do to see this is download a file on a P2P, or Bit torrent. In the old Napster days I though I was in hog heaven with a 10mbps download, I now see transfers of upwards of 200mbps, and I think nothing of grabbing a 2 gig file this would have been a pipe dream in the old days.

said by TKJunkMail :

We sure are getting there. Many think we are falling behind. But it is more that many people aren't really interested in broadband because they have no need for it. Many of those on dial-up are only on that because their relatives browbeat them into getting an email address. As the older generation dies off and the younger generation get jobs and homes, broadband will continue to expand at a natural rate.

said by Michieru2 :

"Broadband, if considered a utility"

It's considered a utility for a business, not for a customer.

"Price is no longer a reason, for most people, not to get a broadband internet connection. "Availability" and "need" are the prime factors."

No, just stop there broadband's average price is around 30-50 dollars.

Dialup average is around 10-19 dollars.

To someone who lives off a low income everything they have is looked upon as highly valuable, especially when it comes to money so while it does not look like much a difference to someone who has a normal or high income, for someone with low income it really does.

Price is still one of the main factors, availability is another. Need is not a prime factor because when I had dialup I learned to be patient, please don't confuse need from want.

Broadband is only needed to those who use applications that require such speeds. It's a luxury to the user like a car instead of driving a Meetro he/she wants a Dodge Viper.

said by kamm :

BS. The problem is that your bosses at the cable company enjoy monopolies thus the high prices many cannot justify for broadband.