Another recent report estimates that a “stimulus package that spurs or supports $10 billion of investment in 1 year in broadband networks will support an estimated 498,000 new or retained U.S. jobs for one year.”

According to Broadband for America, in 2008, the broadband/information technology sectors of the economy created nearly half of all the new jobs in America.

According to Broadband for America, the Internet directly employs 1.2 million individuals and supports an additional two million members of our country’s workforce, contributing nearly $900 billion annually to the economy.

Experian PLC’s Hitwise says that traffic to the top 500 retail Web sites was down 9% Nov. 30 compared with last year’s Cyber Monday, as shoppers shifted their browsing to larger retailers. Traffic at the most visited site, Amazon.com Inc., increased 44%, and visits to Staples.com increased 61%.

The total number of online shoppers increased 6% on Nov. 30 from a year earlier, even as the amount that each shopper spent declined 2% to $102.19.

According to Coleman Bazelon, an economist for the Brattle Group, the market value of the TV airwaves if used for wireless broadband would be about $64 billion. Those airwaves are worth about $12 billion if they remain devoted to TV broadcasts.

E-commerce sales grew 5% on Cyber Monday—the first Monday after Thanksgiving—compared with sales on Cyber Monday last year, and the day’s sales matched the single-day record for online shopping.

About 5% to 7% of U.S. shopping typically happens online, but this holiday season online may account for 10% of all holiday shopping, or about $44 billion, according to Forrester Research.

Overstock.com Inc. said that [Cyber] Monday sales were about 10% above their record-breaking Friday levels, as it offered free shipping on all purchases and a free car giveaway promotion.

ComScore reported that U.S. online shoppers spent $595 million on Black Friday, up 11% from last year.