Charter Boosts Speeds

In markets where Charter Communications has deployed DOCSIS 3.0 technology, about 95 percent of its service area, the company is increasing Charter Internet Express download speeds from 12 Mbps to up to 15 Mbps, and increasing upload speeds from 1 Mbps to up to 3 Mbps.

"Charter Internet Plus" download speeds are being increased from 18 Mbps to up to 30 Mbps, and upload speeds are being increased from 2 Mbps to up to 4 Mbps.

Those changes are being made with no increase in cost. In 2010, for example, cable companies outgained telcos about two to one for net additions (new customers less departing customers). 2010 net broadband additions

The speed boosts are the cable company's fourth speed increase in the last three years.

Mobile Broadband Will be a Majority of "Broadband" Use by 2015

By 2015, more U.S. Internet users will access the Internet through mobile devices than through PCs or other wireline devices, IDC now predicts. That's the broadband parallel to what has happened with voice services, where mobile voice for many users is the predominant and preferred way to use voice, while for many others represents the only way to use voice.

The number of mobile Internet users will grow by a compound annual growth rate of 16.6 percent between 2010 and 2015.

Worldwide, the total number of Internet user will grow from 2 billion in 2010 to 2.7 billion in 2015, when 40 percent of the world's population will have access to its vast resources.

Global business-to-consumer e-commerce spending will grow from $708 billion in 2010 to $1,285 billion in 2015 at a CAGR of 12.7 percent.

Worldwide online advertising will increase from $70 billion in 2010 to $138 billion in 2015, with its share of total advertising across all media growing from 12 percent to 18 percent.

Mobile broadband to dominate usage