Broadband growth = Local search growth - Search Engine Watch (SEW)

The U.S. government is pushing to build out the nation's broadband infrastructure to rural and other hard-to-reach areas. Of the federal stimulus money approved, more than $6 billion is going toward broadband improvements. This will transform the online user experience. Some will be obvious -- faster download times and less waiting for consumers, the perfect formula for increased local search usage.

According to eMarketer, because of the $6 billion allocated to broadband this year (which is only used in 69.5 percent of households), penetration of broadband may grow faster than expected. In U.S. households, broadband usage is projected to rise 26 percent from 2008 to 2013...