There has been a significant increase in the users of social networking sites and this was released by UK Online Measurement. According to the report these days’ customers use broadband for various purposes and for the past three years the trend has changed completely. According to the data, sixty five percent spent more time online when compared to the April 2007.

Decrease in rates, increased affordability, wider range and better access has helped to soar up the internet business. While coming to online activities social networking and blogging ranks first, second comes the email, the usage of email has lowered to due to social networking, but still seven perecent of them use internet regularly.

For the past three years social networking accounted for just nine percent, but it has reached an enormous growth of three hundred and forty percent. Three percent of online users use it regularly for reading the news.

Chorus has planned to provide Ultra fast broadband to all New Zealanders. Chorus will be lead by its new Chief executive Mark Ratcliffe and he has planned to work full time and to ensure Chorus participation in providing the high speed internet facility.

Brian Hall will now be the new financial officer of Chorus in an acting capacity. Telecom Chief executive Paul Reynolds said that, “A number of our people from across the Telecom group have been seconded in recent months to work through all aspects of the ultra fast broadband project, and the size and scope of this team requires the very senior leadership and acumen that Mark Ratcliffe can bring to it.”

Chorus has planned to press ahead to provide broadband through fiber optics throughout the nation.

According to a recent research by ABI there is a soaring increase in the broadband customers in the recent years. In the year 2009 the broadband users touched to 430.7 million which is thirtenn percentage higher than that of 2008. Vice president of forecasting said that, “Fixed broadband is an attractive platform for the delivery of IPTV, gaming services with low latency, rapid access to Web content and secure access to nonbuilding access points (e.g. vehicular traffic monitoring units).

He also quoted that, “Technologies such as fiber to the home, VDSL and GPON are helping to keep fixed broadband relevant to end users both in the home and office.” He also quoted that, “The DSL platform still dominates the market with 65 percent market share; cable and fiber represented 24 percent and 11 percent market share respectively in 2009. South Korea and Japan are the countries with highest fiber broadband penetration. In Japan, approximately 55 percent of broadband subscribers are using fiber broadband. In Korea, fiber broadband customers represent 49 percent of overall broadband users. ABI Research forecasts that fiber broadband subscribers will total almost 134 million by 2015, due to the growing customer demand for speed.North America has the highest broadband penetration of any region. According to analyst Khin Sandi Lynn, “We expect broadband penetration in North America to be accelerated by federal government initiatives which aim to roll out broadband access in rural areas of the U.S.”

Based upon the study by ABI the fixed broadband customers would raise three percent every year and would reach 548 million in 2015.

Telstra has planned to provide ipad along with broadband to all its customers. Most of the customers will benefit from these plans as they have to pay half the amount for their wireless broadband services. Telstra will sell out the Apple ipad 3 G along with prepaid mobile plans. For 1GB data per charge it starts at $20 which is half the $40 the regular broadband service provided by company.

Ross, executive director, Telstra Mobility products said that, “Telstra’s pricing for iPad 3G gives customers control and flexibility to access the Internet on-the-go while connected to the Telstra Next GTM network.” He also quoted that, “Telstra is providing Australians the ability to enjoy 3G on iPad in more places than on any other network.”
Telstra’s plan expire after 30 days, Pricing are as follows

All of Telstra’s prepaid iPad plans expire after 30 days, with pricing as below.
•    $20 1GB
•    $30 3GB
•    $60 6GB
•    $80 9GB
•    $100 12GB
Telstra’s Prepaid Mobile Broadband plans however are considerably more expensive for the same data allowance:
•    $20 225MB
•    $30 400MB
•    $40 1GB
•    $50 2GB
•    $60 3GB
•    $80 4GB
•    $100 6GB