A few days ago I decided to research how many people are accessing the Internet with a broadband connection as apposed to those still holding onto dialup. What I found was that, while the numbers very from one country to the next, dialup users remain dominant. This suggests that adult sites should be designed to accommodate the dialup user.

But wait just a second. What I really wanted to know was how many surfing porn are still using dialup. So I did some more digging, and what I discovered was the answer to an even better question, or at least strong indications of an answer. What I really wanted to know was how many people spending money on porn are still using dialup. While the answer I got was not definitive, it was eye opening.

One study reported that 6% of all broadband users surf porn, as compared to 1% of all dialup users.

A study of European consumers concluded “Sites that draw the majority of their audience from broadband surfers include file-sharing sites, music sites, film sites and adult sites.”

Another European study revealed, “Almost one in four people with broadband Internet admit signing up in order to download pornography, according to a survey published today.”

A very recent study shows “More than 94 million people in the U.S. - 56 percent of the domestic Internet population - viewed a streaming video online in June 2005.”

An older US Dept. of Commerce report states, “The use of the Internet for entertainment is substantially more likely among those with broadband.”

A study released September 2005 concluded, “Compared with their narrowband counterparts, broadband users spend more time and money online because their surfing experience is faster, more persistent, and ultimately, more satisfying. This is good news for consumers, publishers and advertisers alike.”

Now I’ll be the first to admit this is not conclusive, and I’m not sure we will ever get a definitive answer. But the indicators are noteworthy, and if nothing else I discovered what the real question is we should be asking.