flynn23 quoted:
]] The number of broadband Internet subscribers in the US has tripled since 2001.

"Triple! Triple! Triple!!"

I can almost hear Harry Caray.

This is called spin, but it's pretty weak.

You only have to read five sentences into the article to find:

"The report also says that the number of users of broadband services (speeds exceeding 200 kbps in both directions) soared to 28 million in December 2003 from 9.6 million in 2001."

In other words, broadband penetration in the US went from 3.2 percent to 9.5 percent; that means in each year since 2001, another 2 percent of the population has obtained broadband access. At that rate, everyone could have broadband access as soon as 2050. Outstanding! What an astonishing achievement!

Compare to South Korea, which by various estimates has broadband penetration somewhere between 60 percent and 80 percent, depending on the details of your definition.

Jeremy wrote:
] flynn23 quoted:
] ]] The number of broadband Internet subscribers in the US
] has tripled since 2001.
]
] "Triple! Triple! Triple!!"
]
] I can almost hear Harry Caray.
]
] This is called spin, but it's pretty weak.
]
] You only have to read five sentences into the article to find:
]
]
] "The report also says that the number of users of broadband
] services (speeds exceeding 200 kbps in both directions) soared
] to 28 million in December 2003 from 9.6 million in 2001."
]
] In other words, broadband penetration in the US went from 3.2
] percent to 9.5 percent; that means in each year since 2001,
] another 2 percent of the population has obtained broadband
] access. At that rate, everyone could have broadband
] access as soon as 2050. Outstanding! What an
] astonishing achievement!
]
] Compare to South Korea, which by various estimates has
] broadband penetration somewhere between 60 percent and 80
] percent, depending on the details of your definition.

Yes, from a mathematical perspective, you are correct. Remember, there are lies. Damned lies. And Statistics!

But this *is* cause for cheers, because given the current state of telecommunications in the US over the last 4 years, it's a miracle that we even have the penetration that we do! Remember, most of the broadband providers were destroyed in the dotcombust/telecom implosions over the last couple of years, effectively putting monopoly telecom players in control over these services.

The reason why it's tripled? PEOPLE WANT IT? The reason why it's only 10% of the population? THE MONOPOLY PROVISIONING IT!