A report from the Pew Research Center indicates that the adoption of broadband services in the United States appears to have been largely unaffected by the economic downturn.
The research firm reports that 63 percent of the adult American respondents it surveyed in April had broadband Internet connections at home, versus just 55 percent 12 months earlier. Only seven percent of American Internet users said they still use dial-up connections — down from 14 percent two years ago.
“Broadband is now in the ‘must keep’ category for Americans, even when economic times are tough,” said Pew Internet Project Associate Director John Horrigan.
No Longer a Luxury
The substantial rise in home broadband adoption rates may seem surprising at first blush. However, researchers note that many Americans are finding the Web to be the best place for accessing information as well as community resources relating to important personal issues such as health care.
Pew reports that 61 percent of American adults are looking online for health information and most are accessing reviews and comments posted by fellow consumers. Health concerns also may help explain why the home broadband adoption rate among American senior citizens aged 65 or older grew from 19 percent in the year-ago period to 30 percent in April.
Many resources for finding and applying for jobs also have become Internet-based, making broadband a necessity rather than a luxury for job-seekers, Horrigan noted. “Many consumers view their home broadband connection as a conduit for connecting to community and economic opportunities,” he said.
Many survey respondents indicated they were more likely to economize on communication services than cut back on Internet connectivity. Just nine percent of American Web users said in April that they had canceled or cut back on their Internet services in the previous 12 months.
“For low-income people,…