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National Survey Shows One in Five Adults Currently Have a Home Computing Network, But Few Others Say They Intend to Install One in the Future (15/2/2005)

Top Reasons for Deciding to Install a Home Network Include Being Able to Share an Internet Connection, Printers/Peripherals and Files, and to Be Able to Move Freely Around the House Using a Computer

The foundation of the digital home is beginning to materialize as expected by many of the leading consumer electronic firms. One in five (21%) U.S. adults report having a home computing network of two or more computers. However, at this time only an additional seven percent of all adults intend to install a home network in the future; a clear indication that more needs to be done to make home networking mainstream. It may be a hard sell as the majority (88%) of adults who do not intend to install a home network (or those who currently are not sure) report not having a need for a home network.

These are some of the results from The 2004 Technology Report on Home Networking, a study conducted by Harris Interactive(R). This study was conducted in October 2004 among a sample of 1,014 U.S. adults of whom 225 have a home computing network and 699 do not intend to install one or currently are not sure.

For those with a home network, the most common reason cited for originally deciding to install a network was to gain the ability to share an Internet connection (84%), followed by to share printers/peripherals (64%) and files (58%), to move freely around the house (42%), and to utilize one firewall (36%).

In addition, key factors that influenced the decision-making process for those who have a home network include the reliability of the products (84%), speed of data transfer (79%), compatibility/interoperability with existing components (77%), ease of set up (77%), and that it has a do it yourself option (74%).

Of the adults who do not intend to install a home network or those who are not sure, 88 percent believe they have no need for a network. Other reasons for not having a home network include the price of required hardware/software (9%), not being sure what to buy (9%), and not being sure if they can set it up themselves (8%).

Who are those without a home computer network?

People who do not intend to install a home network or are not sure they will are more likely to be:

* Women (61%) vs. men (39%);
* Those aged 40-59 (47%) vs. adults aged 18-39 (34%);
* Married (55%) vs. single (25%);

* Considered a medium Internet user, those reporting to use the Internet 8-21 hours a week (47%), vs. a light user (28%) or a heavy user (25%).

"With an estimated 24 percent of U.S. households expected to have a home network by the end of 2005, only a three percentage point increase from October 2004, home network and digital home product providers will want to address the issues that have many adults feeling as if they don't need a home network," says Milton Ellis, vice president, Harris Interactive Technology Research. "Knowing who their target market is and what motivates those who have already adopted the technology may help to break down walls and accelerate market growth penetration. Many of the consumer electronic providers' new product offerings depend on a home network as an enabling technology to deliver entertainment content to all areas of the home. If the end users cannot see the benefits of a home network, it may be a long road ahead before we see acceptance of the digital home by the masses."

Methodology

Harris Interactive(R) conducted the online study in October 2004 among a nationwide sample of 1,014 U.S. adults (aged 18 years and over), of whom 225 have a home network and 699 do not intend to have one or currently are not sure. Figures for age by gender, race/ethnicity, education, region, household income and sexual orientation were weighted to reflect the total U.S. adult population. Propensity score weighting was used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results of the overall sample have a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Sampling error for results from adults who do not intend to have a home network or currently are not sure is plus or minus 4 percentage points; and, sampling error is plus or minus 6 percentage points for responses from adults with a home network. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (nonresponse), question wording and question order, and weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors. This online sample was not a probability sample.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

www.harrisinteractive.com