• by November 1, 2000

If you're worried about the speed at which your target audience connects to the Internet (with regard to rich, streaming and other bulky media), here's some good news. The number of high-speed Internet hookups in the US rose 57% in the first six months of this year and the rural subscriber rate is rising fast.

According to the Federal Communications Commission, by June 30, about 4.3 million homes and small businesses subscribed to high-speed Internet service, up from 2.8 million at the end of 1999. High-speed service was available in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and in about 70% of the nation's Zip codes, compared to 59% of those areas at the end of 1999, the FCC said.

Those opting for something other than urban and suburban life are gaining access to high-speed Internet connections at a rate 17 times that of city dwellers. The number of sparsely populated Zip codes with high-speed subscribers rose 69% compared to a 4% increase in more crowded regions.

Still, the report says, there are high-speed subscribers in just 40% of outlying areas, while the rate in the most densely populated Zip codes is 96%.

The asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL) count nearly tripled, rising from 370,000 to 1 million, or 157%, in the six-month period. High-speed hookups via cable systems rose 59% to 2.2 million lines, up from 1.4 million.