[RTC List] Pew Internet Project report on home broadband adoption

[Tina Nerat]

Sean, thanks for sending the links. I thought I'd add a few comments. I was
in Oregon most of the past week and saw the articles in their newspapers. I
thought what was in the press was oriented to low income urban populations.
The story is a bit different for rural America, and they did touch on rural
areas a little bit. One has to dig for the references to rural America. Here
are some of the rural references I saw in the report. Tina

 

Broadband growth was strong among older and lower-middle income

Americans, as well as rural Americans.

 

Non-broadband users cite a number of reasons for not using the service

including availability, price, and lack of interest.

- 14% of dial-up users - and 24% of dial-up users in rural America - say
that broadband service 

would have to become available where they live.

 

Lack of broadband availability looms in the mind of some dial-up users.

- Nonetheless, the fact that rural residents are more likely to report that
broadband isn't

available where they live indicates that infrastructure availability comes
into play in

broadband adoption.

 

Fixed wireless has greater role in the home broadband market.

 

Non-internet users - one-quarter of adults - represent the largest group

of those without broadband.

- 43% of non-internet users are over the age of 65 or, put differently, 65%
of senior

citizens do not use the internet.

- 43% of non-internet users have household incomes under $30,000 per year.

 

  _____  

From: list-bounces at redwoodtech.org [mailto:list-bounces at redwoodtech.org] On
Behalf Of Sean McLaughlin
Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2008 6:19 PM
To: RTC
Subject: [RTC List] Pew Internet Project report on home broadband adoption

 


Home <http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.pdf>  Broadband
Adoption 2008 Report (PDF), Pew Internet & American Life Project
http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.pdf

Press Release July 2, 2008
http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/305/press_release.asp

Among some interesting findings:

"Americans who are not online - 27% of adults who do not use the internet -
are likely to be older (their median age is 61) and have low incomes. When
non-internet users are asked why they don't use the internet, here is what
they say: 

*  33% of non-users say they are not interested. 

*  12% say they don't have access. 

*  9% say it is too difficult or frustrating. 

*  7% say it is too expensive. 

*  7% say it is a waste of time. 
"Economic factors play a large role in why some people don't have broadband,
but about one in ten non-broadband users say that service isn't available
where they live," said Horrigan. "Beyond price and availability, some
non-broadband users simply don't see the need for having a high-speed
connection at home." 


Happy Independent Day!




-- 
Sean McLaughlin
Executive Director
Access Humboldt
P.O. Box 157, Eureka, CA 95502
tel: 707-476-1798
dir: 707-476-2873
fax: 707-476-1702
cel: 707-616-2381
e: sean at accesshumboldt.net
web:  accesshumboldt.net
 
"Local Voices Through Community Media"
 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://redwoodtech.org/pipermail/list_redwoodtech.org/attachments/20080704/b90e4f94/attachment.html