A new study suggests that the slow spread of broadband may have as much to do with lack of consumer interest as with accessibility.The results, from a phone survey by the Pew Internet and American Life Project, challenge the conventional wisdom that supply is not meeting demand. Thirty-five percent of dialup users said that broadband was just too expensive, while another 19 percent just weren't interested at any price. Only 14 percent said they were still on dialup because they couldn't get broadband where they lived.
"That suggests that solving the supply problem where there are availability gaps is only going to go so far," said John Horrigan, the study's author. "It's going to have to be a process of getting people more engaged with information technology and demonstrating to people it's worth it for them to make the investment of time and money."
At the same time, 24 percent of rural dialup users said they would get broadband if they could. And broadband penetration is growing: Pew found that 55 percent of American adults now have broadband access at home, up from 47 percent a year earlier and 42 percent in March 2007.Associated Press via Wired
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