Two-thirds of American adults now have broadband Internet access at home, but fewer people are signing up for it, according to the latest study by the Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project.
The survey of 2,252 adults 18 and older, conducted for the center by Princeton Survey Research Associates International between April 29 and May 30, found 66 percent using broadband, almost the same as 63 percent in 2009.
Slowest Growth Since 2004
That five percent increase is the slowest growth measured by the center since 2004.
The 63 percent in 2009 was a 15 percent jump from the previous year. In 2005, the number of broadband homes measured by the center grew to 53 percent from 50 percent the previous year, a statistically insignificant number, after a 20 percent increase in 2004 from 2003.
“Broadband is slowing in the U.S. due to saturation and a relatively high price point, typically $40 per month,” said Gerry Purdy of MobilTrax. “It’s hard for some people on low budgets to buy broadband. They realize they have to have a phone but don’t have to have broadband at home, especially with Starbucks and McDonald’s now offering free wireless broadband access all day long.”
At the same time, use of the mobile Internet through 3G connections on smartphones and other devices has exploded.
Is 3G Killing Broadband?
“There is growth in 3G wireless due to lots of different reasons, including growth in machine-to-machine, use of wireless access cards for notebooks, growth of MiFi, growth of migration to smartphones,” Purdy said.
J.D. Power and Associates wireless analyst Kirk Parsons says 3G could be one of many factors in the broadband slowdown.
“3G may have a minor impact, but not major, as users tend to employ broadband services via PC for different reasons than when they access Internet services via devices,” Parsons said….