Cable modems will rule the broadband age--at least for the next five years, according to a research report The Yankee Group released Tuesday. Companies offering cable and DSL (digital subscriber line) service have been competing to convert dial-up users to high-speed services for some time. Satellite companies have also jockeyed for customers, but cable is clearly in the lead, said Imran Khan, author of the report.
DSL technology will remain in second place due to regulatory hurdles, and other broadband technologies, such as satellite, will lag far behind, according to the report from the from the Boston-based research firm. The report, which summarized statistics on the U.S. residential broadband industry, contained several other predictions on the future of high-speed Internet access.
DSL services have been plagued since their inception by problems such as slow hookup times and billing disputes. Consumer complaints have been so overwhelming that the state of California and other regulatory bodies have become involved.
|