According to a Pew survey, 55 percent of American adults now have high-speed Internet access, and by the end of the year that should reach about 63 percent.
Another finding of the survey revealed, was 63 percent of those on dial-up have no desire to change, making it a challenge for marketers to reach them with rich media, which doesn't function well with dialup services.
That means that in America, about 37 percent of adults won't be connected via a high-speed connection by the end of the year. Of those without high-speed connection, a huge 62 percent said they had no desire to go that route either.
What that suggests is there will continue to be the need to advertise with text, display and other rich media ads as a way to reach the largest number of customers online. It also shows that millions in the country aren't connected at all, with a significant 27 percent making over $30,000 yearly among them.
It's unclear at this time whether the economy is playing any factor in the resistance of users to upgrade, or it's simply their personal preference.
These numbers are difficult to measure simply because the survey was related to home connections, and didn't include using the Internet at work. Many people use their work connections as their main means of Internet access, so are minimalists at home.
Still, it does show there are challenges across the various demographics, and reaching people when they are at home requires a multifaceted approach.
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