Broadband use jumps 34 percent, FCC says

Homes and businesses in all 50 states saw their numbers of high-speed Internet lines grow steadily last year, the Federal Communications Commission said Thursday in a semiannual report. Data collected from broadband providers showed the tally of high-speed subscribers climbed 34 percent during 2004, from 28.2 million to 37.9 million connections of 200kbps or higher.

Most categories of service, including cable and DSL, added lines at a slightly quicker pace during the second half of the year. Bigger concentrations of high-speed subscribers remained in ZIP codes bearing the densest populations and highest household incomes. California, New York and Texas led the pack, while the Dakotas and Wyoming trailed behind. The share of ZIP codes lacking service providers entirely has continued to drop, standing at less than 5 percent at the close of 2004.