Final answer:
Dial-up was once the least costly and most common method of connecting to the internet but has been surpassed by mobile and broadband connections due to technological advancements, such as the development of 4G and 5G networks and fiber optics.
Step-by-step explanation:
Although it is the least costly method of connecting to the internet, dial-up is no longer the most common means of Internet connection in the United States. In the early days of the internet, communication was primarily text-based due to low bandwidths. However, advancements such as fiber optic network backbones in the 1990s and the development of the worldwide web enabled higher bandwidth communication including images and streaming video. Nowadays, cheaper, faster, and higher-quality data transmission has been achieved, furthered by technologies such as 4G and 5G cellular networks. These advancements allow for media to be streamed to smartphones and tablets, which has changed the landscape of internet connectivity dramatically.
As technology has become more accessible and affordable, a shift from wired internet connections in homes to mobile connectivity through smartphones and tablets has occurred. Especially for minority groups, there is a high usage of mobile devices to access the internet. However, this shift also brings to light the nuanced aspects of the digital divide, indicating that not all forms of internet access offer the same opportunities, with tasks that are empower users, such as job applications, being more challenging on mobile devices than on wired computers.