The Bottom Line
According to the article "Hurry Up and Wait," in the August 22, 2000, issue of Business 2.0, only 2.5 million (about 4 percent) of residential Internet users have DSL or cable modem access. The same article further indicated that there are 2.94 cable modem subscribers and only 1.4 million residential DSL subscribers. Costs and complexity of installation certainly play a part in keeping implementations low. The fact that many people have high-speed access at work and don't desire to use the Internet heavily at home is another factor. Most important, however, is the lack of universal availability of cable TV modems and DSL service. Distances from the telephone company equipment and the condition of the cabling have hindered availability of DSL. Overcoming these obstacles is going to take large financial investments from incumbent telephone companies, competitive telephone companies, and cable TV providers.