Dial-Up Accelerators Make Big Impact on Time Subscribers Spend Online
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), September 25, 2005 - Cox ranks highest in satisfying high-speed Internet customers, while SBC Yahoo! ranks highest among dial-up Internet providers, according to the newly released J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Internet Service Provider Residential Customer Satisfaction StudySM.
Now in its eighth year, the study measures customer satisfaction with Internet service providers based on seven factors. They are: performance and reliability; cost of service; image; customer service/technical support; billing; e-mail services; and offerings and promotions.
Cox records the most improvement in the study, increasing 20 index points from 2004. Cox receives the highest ratings in the high-speed segment in performance and reliability and customer service. Following Cox in the rankings are Verizon, BellSouth and Bright House, respectively.
SBC Yahoo! receives particularly strong ratings from its dial-up customers in offerings and promotions and cost of service. SBC Yahoo! is followed in the rankings by AT&T Worldnet and EarthLink, respectively.
The study finds that dial-up accelerators are having a big impact on the number of hours dial-up users spend online. Overall Internet usage among dial-up customers has increased from 15.6 personal hours per week in 2004 to 17.8 in 2005. Among those using dial-up accelerators, Internet usage averages 19.9 hours-10 percent higher than broadband users, who average 18.1 hours per week. Customers using dial-up accelerators also report spending less on Internet service than the dial-up average-$19.35 per month compared to $20.04 for all dial-up users. Reflecting increasingly competitive pricing, high-speed users report spending less on average in 2005-$43.83 per month in 2005, down from $44.12 in 2004.
"Speed is the name of the game in the Internet world, and customers who use accelerators are more likely to switch to broadband products like DSL and cable modem down the road," said Steve Kirkeby, senior director of telecommunications research at J.D. Power and Associates. "With nearly one-third of dial-up users saying they intend to switch to a high-speed connection in the next six months, dial-up accelerator users are more likely to switch to their current providers' high-speed product, retaining them as customers for the long term."
Although DSL subscribers are significantly more satisfied than cable modem users for a second consecutive year, cable modem providers are increasing market share at a faster pace than DSL. In 2005, cable modems account for 28 percent of Internet subscriptions-up from 24 percent in 2004. Sixteen percent of Internet service subscriptions are for DSL service-up just 1 percent from 2004. However, among the 32 percent of dial-up subscribers who say they will definitely or probably switch to high-speed in the next six months, 47 percent intend to go to DSL. Only 30 percent intend to switch to cable modem.
High-speed subscribers are more price sensitive than dial-up in deciding when and where to switch, whereas connection speed is much more important for dial-up than high-speed subscribers. The effects of discounted packaging of services are also evident, with this issue having factored into the decision of 62 percent of subscribers who switched to high-speed versus 39 percent to dial-up.
"Price competition among high-speed providers is increasingly prevalent," said Kirkeby. "Although service interruption is considered by more than one-half of high-speed service subscribers as important, price is the No.1 reason to switch. Long term, however, product performance will be the main reason they stay."
The 2005 ISP Residential Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 6,313 residential customers of Internet service providers nationwide.
Attorney General Jay Nixon extends gasoline price gouging investigation to cover Hurricane Rita
JEFFERSON CITY, (SLFP.com), September 25, 2005 - Attorney General Jay Nixon said that his gasoline price gouging investigation will be extended for several more weeks to include any reports of gouging following Hurricane Rita.
Nixon said more than 50 stations in Missouri are already under review for price gouging during and following Hurricane Katrina. Nixon expects to announce results of that investigation next week.
"Consumers in Missouri are actively reporting to us and we are following leads throughout the state," Nixon said. "Some stations have clearly taken advantage of a natural disaster to inflate prices, which is a violation of Missouri law. They will find out the hard way that such actions don't pay."
Nixon said his staff, including attorneys and investigators, followed more than 300 leads reported to the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline - 800-392-8222 - and are reviewing thousands of gas receipts from state vehicles in use throughout Missouri Aug. 15 to Sept. 15.
As Hurricane Rita approaches, the Attorney General's Office will continue to monitor prices through the upcoming weekend and next week to determine if stations in Missouri are in violation of price gouging regulations.
Nixon said stations violating price gouging regulations will pay penalties. After the 9/11 attacks, Nixon settled price gouging claims with 48 stations with fines totaling more than $60,000.
Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Receives Federal Funds
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), September 25, 2005 - U.S. Senators Kit Bond and Jim Talent have announced that they secured $740,000 in federal funds for the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis.
"These funds will help the Danforth Plant Science Center continue their efforts to find solutions to the problems of malnutrition, hunger, disease and environmental degradation that plague so many of the world's citizens. I will continue to use my position to secure funds for this important research Center," said Senator Bond, one of life sciences strongest advocates who, as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has earmarked more than $450 million for plant genomics.
"Sen. Bond and I are pleased to announce this funding for the Danforth Plant Science Center," said Sen. Jim Talent, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee. "The Danforth Center is known around the world for their success in improving human health and increasing agricultural production. The work they are doing in Missouri is also generating economic growth and creating jobs for our workers."
The Donald Danforth Plant Science Center's vision to serve science, farmers and world-wide consumers attracts many of the world's leading scientists in plant biotechnology. The research project funded by the dollars announced today will focus on genetically enhanced plants for increased level of micronutrients and initiate local studies, including research and develop methods to enhance the value of biorenewable oils in plants, with a focus on soybeans.
"I am very pleased that Senator Bond continues to work to support the development of science and technology in Missouri. These funds will be used for research and development in bio-technology to enhance the value of crops in Missouri and the Midwest. This research will ensure that our farmers and others will continue to prosper by benefiting from modern genetic technologies that focus on practical applications," said Dr. Roger Beachy, President of the Danforth Center.
Bond and Talent secured the $740,000 for the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in the Department of Agriculture spending bill. The spending bill passed the full Senate today. Before being signed into law the bill must be reconciled with the House of Representatives' bill.
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