Nearly one-third of Americans do not have high-speed access to the Internet

F.C.C. Takes a Close Look at the Unwired

By BRIAN STELTER and JENNA WORTHAM

Published: February 22, 2010

For many Americans, having high-speed access to the Internet at homeis as vital as electricity, heat and water. And yet about one-third ofthe population, 93 million people, have elected not to connect.

A comprehensive survey by the Federal Communications Commissionfound several barriers to entry, with broadband prices looming largest.The commission will release the findings on Tuesday and employ them asit submits a national broadband plan to Congress next month.

Ofthe 93 million persons without broadband identified by the study, about80 million are adults. Small numbers of them access the Internet bydial-up connections, or outside the home at places like offices orlibraries, but most never log on anywhere. In a world of digitalinformation, these people are “at a distinct disadvantage,” said JohnHorrigan, who oversaw the survey for the F.C.C.

Julius Genachowski,the chairman of the F.C.C., is promoting faster and more pervasivebroadband infrastructure as a tenet of economic growth and democracy.

Thestudy, conducted last fall, interviewed 5,005 residents by telephone.It indicates that the gap in access is no longer between slower dial-upand faster broadband; the overwhelming majority of people who haveInternet access have broadband.

“Overall Internet penetration hasbeen steady in the mid-70 to upper 70 percent range over the last fiveyears,” Mr. Horrigan said in an interview on Monday. “Now we’re at apoint where, if you want broadband adoption to go up by any significantmeasure, you really have to start to eat into the segment ofnon-Internet-users.”

Those nonusers are disproportionately olderand more likely to live in rural areas. Those with household incomes ofless than $50,000 are “much less likely” to have broadband access,according to the F.C.C. report.

Asked about the reasons for nothaving broadband at home, almost half of respondents cited aprohibitive cost, and almost as many said they were uncomfortable usinga computer. Forty-five percent answered “yes” to the statement, “I amworried about all the bad things that can happen if I use theInternet.” Others said they viewed the Internet as a waste of time.

Respondentswere able to give multiple answers, and most did. Consequently, “policysolutions that provide comprehensive aid to people are most likely tohave the most payoff,” Mr. Horrigan said.

Twelve percent of thosesurveyed who had not adopted broadband said that they could not connectto broadband where they lived. Because this figure is self-reported bythe residents, it may not be entirely accurate.

The F.C.C. wasmandated by Congress to produce a detailed plan with specificrecommendations to hasten the national adoption of broadband in theUnited States. The plan is expected to be unveiled by the F.C.C. onMarch 17. It will recommend, among other elements, an expansion ofbroadband adoption from the current 65 percent to more than 90 percent,Mr. Genachowski said in a blog post on an F.C.C. Web site last week.