Summary
The broadband lifestyle involves new opportunities and capabilities for families whose homes will be outfitted both with services that flow over broadband and with a multitude of devices that interact with these services. Already, we're seeing the effect broadband has on individuals and families, with studies showing broadband users are online more often, and accomplish many more things while online, than dialup Internet users. Education, medical care, energy management, and family interactions are just some of the features of daily life that will be improved by broadband networks in the forthcoming "smart" home. Personalized for each household and able to bring a wealth of global knowledge directly to the home, broadband's impact is enormous. Like electricity before it, broadband will bring an enormous wealth of possibility to individuals and families alike.