Networked Consumer Electronics Just an Adapter Away Parks Associates latest research suggests that one-third of those likely to adopt home networks have PC and entertainment equipment collocated

Over one million Internet households in the next wave of home network adopters have both their primary PC and home entertainment system collocated, making them prime candidates for multimedia networking solutions. According to Parks Associates latest report Broadband Access @ Home III, this segment, comprising more than one-third of the three million households likely to adopt home networking in the next 12 months, would, in most cases, require only a network adapter to make the transition to entertainment networking. The more formidable challenges to service providers and manufacturers are in the targeted marketing and distribution of such cross-platform solutions in order to promote and facilitate this adoption.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Elizabeth Parks
Parks Associates
972-490-1113
Email: sales@parksassociates.com

Networked Consumer Electronics Just an Adapter Away

Parks Associates latest research suggests that one-third of those likely to adopt home networks have PC and entertainment equipment collocated.

Dallas, Texas February 21, 2003 -- Over one million Internet households in the next wave of home network adopters have both their primary PC and home entertainment system collocated, making them prime candidates for multimedia networking solutions. According to Parks Associates latest report Broadband Access @ Home III, this segment, comprising more than one-third of the three million households likely to adopt home networking in the next 12 months, would, in most cases, require only a network adapter to make the transition to entertainment networking. The more formidable challenges to service providers and manufacturers are in the targeted marketing and distribution of such cross-platform solutions in order to promote and facilitate this adoption.
Demand for home networking is ramping up, but there is much debate about if and when consumer electronics such as stereos and TVs will make their way into the home network," said Michael Greeson, senior analyst and director of broadband research for Parks Associates. Although most of those likely to adopt home networks are interested in PC-centric applications such as sharing an Internet connection or sharing a printer, a significant number of these households are in a good position to network entertainment content from the PC to their entertainment system."

Service providers, solution vendors, and consumer electronics manufacturers alike are hoping that traditional entertainment equipment will gradually find its way into the networking mix, according to Broadband Access @ Home III. The report cites households with a PC and an entertainment system collocated, of which its inhabitants expressed a strong interest in home networking, as the likely first major segment to widely adopt solutions that network entertainment content.

Parks Associates latest consumer study, Broadband Access @ Home III, is the largest long-form Internet survey conducted in the U.S. to date, with more than 10,500 Internet households participating. The study includes surveys of 4,500 narrowband and 6,000 broadband households and offers statistically significant samples for most residential services, including digital cable, satellite TV, Internet, home networking, Internet telephony, home security, home management, and many others.

For additional information about Parks Associates Broadband Access @ Home III, please contact sales@parksassociates.com or call 972-490-1113.

About Parks Associates: Parks Associates is a market research and consulting firm that provides information and analysis to its clients on emerging residential, small office, and light commercial technologies. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, multiclient studies, consumer research, workshops, and custom-tailored client solutions.

Its market expertise encompasses the full range of connected-home solutions, including home networks, digital entertainment, broadband and Internet services, and home systems. Parks Associates also hosts two industry events, Forum and CONNECTIONS (in partnership with the Consumer Electronics Association), each year. www.parksassociates.com.