Among customers who report using IM on a regular or occasional basis, nearly 70% report that to some degree, instant messaging has replaced the use of traditional telephones. The percentage of Internet users who use IM on a daily basis is essentially unchanged from 2005 at 36%. 

Included in the study for the first time, Dogpile ranks highest among search engines, with top ratings from Internet service subscribers in all three factors that determine overall satisfaction within the segment: ease of use, functionality and results. Dogpile aggregates the search results of all of the major search engines to provide a one-stop shop for Internet users. Ask.com and Google, respectively, follow Dogpile in the segment rankings.

The study finds that nearly 75% of Internet subscribers use multiple search engines. Forty-four percent of those customers report using multiple search engines because each one has better sources depending on customer needs.

The study also finds that 51% of Internet subscribers use Google as their primary search engine -- up 8% points from 2005. Yahoo! Search follows with 17% share of the market (down 4% points from 2005), and AOL Search captures 9% of the market -- down 1%.

The 2006 Residential Online Service Customer Satisfaction Study is based on responses from 10,787 residential customers of Internet service providers nationwide.