Pew: Two-Thirds of Americans Access Broadband at Home

A new report from Pew -- Home Broadband 2010 -- found that African-Americans experienced a 22 percent year-over-year increase in broadband adoption.

Growth among African-Americans significantly exceeded the national average. The survey found that 66 percent of Americans now have access to broadband Internet in their homes, only a small increase from the 63 percent who had high-speed connections in 2009.

Among the 20 percent of adults who do not use the Internet, roughly half cited relevance as the reason they do not go online. Only six percent noted lack of access or availability. These results suggest that digital literacy initiatives can go a long way in closing America's digital divide.

While some analysts have attributed low public approval of the broadband push to skepticism of a similar government subsidy scheme for telecommunications, the FCC believes that Pew's results underlines the need to educate Americans about the importance of broadband and its potential to revolutionize health care, education and civic engagement.

According to FCC spokesperson Jen Howard:

"Today's Pew report confirms what the FCC found in our broadband survey last year: there are still too many barriers to broadband adoption in America. That's why the National Broadband Plan lays out a strategy for improving digital literacy and ensuring that all Americans can take full advantage of the benefits of broadband."

Home Broadband 2010 (Pew)

Support for broadband loses speed as nationwide growth slows (Washington Post)