High speed connections to the Internet shot up by 33% last year, the FCC reports. The study defines "high speed" as a link that provides service in at least one direction at a speed faster than 200 kilobits per second (kps). A typical dial up connection usually transmits data at around 40 to 50kps. Many high speed connections now offer service at over 3 megabytes per second (mps).

Americans now run over 50,237,139 high speed lines, the FCC study, released today, concludes—up from over 37 million in 2004, and almost 3 million in 1999.

Most of these lines—42.9 million—served residential customers, who either purchased their link via Cable or DSL service. Cable modem service claimed 57.5% of high speed business; DSL took almost all the rest; 0.5% of the sample ran fiber optic connections.

The FCC estimates that DSL connections are available to 78% of households to whom Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) can provide service; 93% percent of households that have access to a cable TV connection can receive high speed cable modem service.

New Jersey wins the prize for DSL access, with an 88% availability rate. California tops the nation for cable modem access; 98% of cable users can buy high speed Internet service in the Golden state.

Vermont has the lowest rate of DSL availability, trailing the states at 61%. Only 75% of New Mexico residents with cable TV access can buy cable Internet service.