What happens when consumers switch from narrowband to broadband? Do they surf the same sites? Chat more? Look for the same entertainment and community experiences they had enjoyed through their narrowband connections? For businesses targeting these consumers, information about what happens as they make the transition to broadband is frequently too scarce for strategic decision making.

To bridge the information gap, McKinsey, working with Jupiter Media Metrix and Vividence,1 examined the usage patterns of a group of consumers on narrowband and then, six months later, after those same consumers had switched, on broadband. McKinsey also used focus groups and surveys to draw a profile of broadband consumers and what they want. The research shows that the broadband consumer population in the United States has moved beyond the predominantly young and male early-adopter stage to reach a broad cross-section of age, family composition, sex, and income. Indeed broadband is finally entering the mainstream. Companies that closely examine these early usage patterns can draw crucial inferences about what the mass market will want from its broadband experience and refine their on-line offerings accordingly.

Some findings from this research are presented in the six charts that follow.