As Broadband Expands Rapidly, America's Poor Lag

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As Broadband Expands Rapidly, America's Poor Lag

Fast Internet access is a consumer priority, but the White House's $7.2 billion plan to boost broadband access has mixed objectives

Recession or no, more Americans are getting online via fast, higher-priced connections, a closely watched study of U.S. Internet use has found. As of April, 63% of U.S. adults had broadband Internet connections in their homes, according to the Pew Research Center. That's a big jump from a year earlier, when a comparable survey found that only 55% of U.S. adults had broadband access at home.

Survey participants reported they're paying an average of $39 a month for broadband service, up from $34.50 a year earlier. At $39 per month, the average price is as high as it was in 2004 before it fell for the next four years. More consumers regard a broadband Internet connection as a necessity akin to electricity or water service, says John Horrigan, associate director for the Pew center.

"Not very many people said they were cutting back on Internet service," Horrigan says. "They were more likely to be cutting back on their cell-phone plan or their cable TV service plan. It seems like broadband has a special place in the minds of people as something they would prefer not to give up."