Broadband use increases in U.S.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project recently reported that home broadband adoption was 63% of adult Americans as of April 29, up from 55% in May 2008.

“The latest findings of the Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project mark a departure from the stagnation in home high-speed adoption rates that had prevailed from December, 2007 through December, 2008. During that period, Project surveys found that home broadband penetration remained in a narrow range between 54% and 57%,” according to this report from Pew.

Pew reported numerous interesting facts from its recent survey. Those include:

BASIC DEMOGRAPHICS
Broadband usage among adults ages 65 or older grew from 19% in May, 2008 to 30% in April 2009.

Respondents living in households whose annual household income is $20,000 or less, saw broadband adoption grow from 25% in 2008 to 35% in 2009.

Respondents living in households whose annual incomes are between $20,000 and $30,000 annually experienced a growth in broadband penetration from 42% to 53%.

Adults who reported annual household incomes over $75,000 had broadband adoption rate change from 84% in 2008 to 85% in 2009.

Overall, respondents reporting that they live in homes with annual household incomes below $30,000 experienced a 34% growth in home broadband adoption from 2008 to 2009.

Among adults whose highest level of educational attainment is a high school degree, broadband adoption grew from 40% in 2008 to 52% in 2009.

Adults with a college degree (or more) saw their home high-speed usage grow from 79% in 2008 to 83% in 2009.

Among adults ages 50-64, broadband usage increased from 50% in 2008 to 61% in 2009.

Adults living in rural America had home high-speed usage grow from 38% in 2008 to 46% in 2009.
 
PRICES
The average monthly bill for broadband service in April 2009 was $39, an increase from $34.50 in May 2008.

Broadband users who say they have just one provider where they live (21% of home high-speed users) report an average monthly bill of $44.70.

Among broadband users with more than one provider in their area (69% of home high-speed users), the average monthly broadband bill is $38.30.

A subset of home broadband users who say four or more broadband service providers serve their neighborhood (17% of all home high-speed users) reported an average monthly bill of $32.10.
 
Subscribers to premium service paid an average of $44.60 per month for broadband in 2009, up from $38.10 in 2008.

For basic service, broadband users reported a monthly bill of $37.10 in 2009, up from $32.80 in 2008.

9% of internet users (7% of all adults) say that in the past 12 months they have cancelled or cut back online service. By comparison, 22% of adults say they have cancelled or cut back cable TV service in the past 12 months, and 22% of cell phone users (19% of all adults) report that in the past 12 months they have cancelled or cut back cell phone service.
 
IMPORTANT ACCESS
68% of home broadband users said such a connection is “very important” (31%) or “somewhat important (37%) for finding out what is going on in their community.

65% of home broadband users said such a connection is “very important” (34%) or “somewhat important (31%) for communicating with health care or medical providers.

62% of home broadband users said such a connection is “very important” (26%) or “somewhat important (36%) for contributing to economic growth in their community.

58% of home broadband users said such a connection is “very important” (23%) or “somewhat important (35%) for sharing their views with others about key issues.

What will it take for the 7% of Americans — half the level it was two years ago — who still use dial-up to convert to broadband?
32% said the price would have to fall.
20% said nothing would get them to change.
17% said it would have to become available where they live.
16% responded “don’t know.”