Tuesday, December 22nd, 2015

Pew Releases New Findings on Broadband

The Pew Research Center recently released important new research on broadband access that demonstrate the importance of advancing low-cost, next-generation broadband for all residents — the mission of Next Century Cities.

The survey found a slight decline in broadband adoption in homes since 2013, with home adoption now sitting at 67%, but an increase in smartphone reliance. In total 80% of adults have either a smartphone or a home broadband subscription.

Some interesting findings from this recent survey include:

  • More      Americans Are “Smartphone Only”: More Americans (now 13% of      all adults) are turning exclusively to their cell phones for Internet      service. But individuals who only access the Internet through their      smartphones report significant challenges around accessing job      opportunities and hitting data caps, and face an increased likelihood of      canceling service due to “financial constraints.”  
  • Cost Cited      as a Barrier to Internet Access: Those who don’t have      broadband Internet access cite cost “in some form” as central reason for      lacking it in their homes. The study found that: “Overall, 66% of      non-adopters point toward either the monthly service fee or the cost of      the computer as a barrier to adoption.”  Strong provider competition      is a key principle for Next Century Cities partially because a vibrant,      diverse marketplace, with transparency in offerings, pricings, and      policies will spur innovation and lower prices, hopefully leading      to more people being online.
  • Lacking      Broadband Perceived as Disadvantage: More      Americans now perceive broadband Internet access as an important tool for      fully participating in many aspects of society, including learning about      and accessing new career opportunities, accessing government and      healthcare information, learning new things, and keeping up with the news.      Roughly two-thirds of Americans said that not having a home high-speed      internet connection would be a major disadvantage to the activities      discussed above.