Games consoles lead rise of alternative broadband channels

Access to broadband within the typical consumer home may no longer depend on the availability of suitable computer equipment, a study from ABI Research indicates.

Instead, in many cases alternative methods of accessing the internet are on the increase, with games consoles leading the charge.

While some distribution modes - such as television or Blu-ray features which require networking capabilities - are relatively new, others are reaching maturity.

"Although connected consoles are nothing new, they still rank strongly in connected home entertainment and will see increased shipment numbers through 2014," says Jason Blackwell, practice director at ABI Research.

With the broader range of devices capable of connecting, the analyst anticipates compound annual growth of 21 per cent in internet-enabled equipment sold to consumer homes between now and 2016.

The spread could be greater thanks to the availability of broadband services like the streaming movie rentals package from LOVEFiLM on the PlayStation 3 console, along with similar deals on other platforms.