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

[Bob Morse]

Our old friend Andrew Cohill  makes a good point on his blog:

"The Pew folks have never asked broadband users if they would go back to 
dial up. And you need to ask that question in order to be able to 
understand the survey results of the dial up question in the appropriate 
context....In fact, I've been asking that question to rooms full of 
people for many years, and I have never had a single broadband user 
stand up and say, "Oh yea, broadband is waaaay too fast for me. I'm 
switching back to dial up next week.""

http://www.designnine.com/news/node/1184

If you haven't had broadband it's quite possible you can't imagine what 
value it has or how it can enhance your life by opening up possibilities 
not feasible on a 56k modem.


Tina Nerat wrote:
>
> 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 Broadband Adoption 2008 Report (PDF) 
> <http://www.pewinternet.org/pdfs/PIP_Broadband_2008.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 <mailto:sean at accesshumboldt.net>
> web:  accesshumboldt.net
>  
> "Local Voices Through Community Media"
>  
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
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>   


-- 
Bob Morse
Morse Media
Web Development * Web Hosting * Internet Marketing
http://morsemedia.net
707-444-9566
707-496-9191 (cell)
Blog: http://talkingtech.net

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