2010-08-10-皮尤-Home_Broadband_2010_28页_1mb

Home Broadband 2010 Summary

Core Content

This report from the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project provides an analysis of broadband adoption and public attitudes towards high-speed internet access in the United States in 2010. It highlights the slowing growth of broadband adoption, the significant progress among African-Americans, and the mixed public perception of the importance of expanding broadband access.

Main Findings

Broadband Adoption Rates

• In May 2010, 66% of American adults had a home broadband connection, slightly up from 63% in 2009.
• The year-over-year growth rate was 5%, the lowest in recent years.
• The broadband adoption gap between whites and African-Americans was reduced from 19 percentage points in 2009 to 11 percentage points in 2010.
• African-Americans experienced the highest growth rate (22%) in broadband adoption compared to other demographic groups.

Non-Internet Users

• 21% of American adults did not use the internet or email from any location.
• Of these, 34% had some exposure to online life, either through household use or past experience.
• The main reasons for not using the internet included:
  • Relevance (48%): Not seeing online content as relevant to their lives.
  • Price (21%): Finding it too expensive.
  • Usability (18%): Finding it too difficult or frustrating.
  • Availability/Access (6%): Lack of access to internet or computers.

Attitudes Toward Broadband Expansion

• 52% of Americans believe that expanding affordable broadband should not be a government priority.
• 26% think it should not be done at all.
• 30% see it as an important but lower priority.
• 11% believe it should be a top priority.
• Non-users are less likely to support government efforts to expand broadband access, with 45% opposing it.
• Younger users and African-Americans are the most supportive of government broadband expansion efforts.

Broadband and Its Impact on Daily Life

• While 43% of Americans believe that lack of broadband is a major disadvantage for job opportunities and career skills, no major issue is seen as a significant disadvantage by a majority.
• Health information (34%), learning new things (31%), and government services (29%) are also seen as relatively significant disadvantages.
• News and information and community engagement are seen as less critical, with 47% and 45% respectively not viewing lack of broadband as a disadvantage.

Broadband Service Tiers

• One-third (36%) of broadband users pay for a premium service with higher speeds.
• The average broadband cost is $41.18 per month, slightly up from $39.00 in 2009.
• Basic broadband users pay $39.01, while premium users pay $45.83.

Key Information

• Demographic Trends: African-Americans and Hispanics (English-speaking) are more likely than whites to see broadband as a major disadvantage. Older adults, especially those over 65, are less likely to view broadband as important.
• Public Perception: The majority of Americans (73%) do not believe that expanding broadband access should be a major government priority.
• Methodology: The survey was conducted via telephone interviews with 2,252 adults (including 744 cell phone users) between April 29 and May 30, 2010. The margin of error for the total sample is ±2.4 percentage points.
• Non-Users' Comfort: 61% of non-internet users would need help to feel comfortable using the internet, while only 21% feel confident enough to do so on their own.

Conclusion

In 2010, broadband adoption in the U.S. showed minimal growth, with African-Americans being a notable exception. Public opinion on broadband expansion was largely indifferent, with many Americans not seeing it as a critical government priority. Non-users had limited exposure to the internet and often cited relevance and usability as barriers to adoption. The survey underscores the importance of addressing these barriers and the need for targeted efforts to improve access and understanding among non-users.