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CARTT.CA
Oct 11, 2005
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TORONTO – Almost half of Canadian
households (49%) are now connected to the Internet via high-speed broadband
– and young surfers are using those fat connections to access more
and more video, according to new research being released today by Toronto-based
Solutions Research Group.
The U.S., it found, lags significantly behind – where only 34%
of U.S. households have a high-speed Internet connection. These are
among the key findings of two reports of among more than 2,800 randomly-selected
Canadians and Americans in May-June 2005.
“Broadband penetration is a significant marker for the delivery
of on-demand video content and entertainment – the wave of the
not-too-distant future,” said Kaan Yigit, study director. “While
Canada is somewhat behind the U.S. in areas such as wireless or HDTV,
on this very important score, Canada is at least two years ahead of
the curve. The reasons for this include the heritage and priority differences
of cable and telephone companies in Canada vs. the U.S., as well as
geographic and socio-economic factors.”
Among the research highlights:
* 63% of Canadian households are now on the Internet (49% broadband,
14% dial-up). In comparison, 57% of American households are on the Internet
(34% broadband, 23% dial-up).
* Cable firms are slightly ahead of telephone companies as the leading
choice for broadband Internet in both Canada and the U.S..
* The percentage of Canadian homes with broadband Internet grew rapidly
between 2003 and 2005 – from 31% in 2003 to 40% in 2004 to the
current level of 49% in 2005.
* The number of broadband Internet homes in Canada now exceeds the
number of digital TV homes (i.e., homes with digital cable or satellite
TV), while the reverse is true in the U.S.
Internet activities that require high bandwidth are, not surprisingly,
more popular in Canada, especially among younger age groups, and content
producers and providers should take notice.
A full 25% of Canadian Internet users in the 12-29 age group have downloaded
a full-length movie or a 30- or 60-minute TV show off the Internet in
the past, compared to 16% of American Internet users in the same age
group.
The Canadian market information for this release comes from comprehensive
telephone interviews with 1,776 Canadians 12 and older in May/June 2005
conducted as part of Fast Forward, Solutions Research Group’s
ongoing consumer trend research program. The results of the survey are
accurate to ± 2.3 points for the population as a whole, 19 times
out of 20.
The U.S. market information for this release comes from a random national
sample of 1,062 Americans 12 and older as part of Solutions Research
Group’s new Digital Life America research program via telephone
in May/June 2005. The results of the overall survey are accurate to
± 3.0 points for the population, 19 times out of 20.
“To maintain an unbiased perspective, Solutions Research Group
funds its own ongoing trend research programs,” says the company.
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