A new study released by the Federal Communications Commission says cost is the biggest reason more people do not use broadband at home.
Thirty-six percent of non-adopters surveyed pointed to affordability issues. That includes 15% who said they do not have broadband because the monthly fee is too expensive, 10% who said they cannot afford the installation fee or a computer and 9% who said they do not want to enter into a long-term service contract. According to survey respondents, their average monthly broadband bill is $41.
Other reasons cited for not subscribing to broadband include a lack of relevance (19%), a lack of skills (12%), and concerns about on-line content and information security (10%).
Based on this data, the report titled “Broadband Adoption and Use in America” divides non-adopters into four categories. At 30% of non-adopters, the largest group–“Near Converts”—includes people with high rates of computer ownership and positive attitudes about the Internet who do not use the Internet at home primarily because of cost. At the other end of the spectrum the next largest group, at 28% of non-adopters, is the “Digitally Distant”—people who do not see the point of being online.
In between these groups are “Digital Hopefuls” (22% of non-adopters) who do not have a computer or do not feel comfortable with technology and the “Digitally Uncomfortable” (20%) who typically have a computer but have “tepid” attitudes toward the Internet.
The new report builds on recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau that found 36% of U.S. households without broadband connectivity.
