U.S. broadband Internet access reaches 15.6 million in Q3

The number of users accessing the Internet via a broadband connection grew 10.8% in the third quarter, reaching 15.6 million, Leichtman Research Group Inc. reports. The 1.68 million subscribers who signed on to broadband during the quarter represented the highest growth so far this year and were 400,000 more than signed on in Q3 last year.

Cable companies continue to dominate the broadband market, with a 65% market share. They maintained that share in Q3, signing up 68% of broadband additions for the quarter--1.1 million users. DSL providers added 540,000 broadband users.

"The third quarter results demonstrate strong continued adoption of broadband Internet in the United States," said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group. "While cable operators lost over 250,000 video subscribers in the third quarter, the industry-wide focus on high-value customers clearly paid off in cable’s growth of high-speed Internet subscribers."