Nearly 90% of U.S. households that use a desktop or laptop computer at home subscribe to a broadband Internet service. That compares to 65% of such households that did so five years ago, according to new consumer research from Leichtman Research Group (LRG).
Higher-income households are much more likely to use desktop or laptop computers at home, and they’re much more likely to have residential broadband service subscriptions than lower-income households, LRG also found. Ninety-one percent of all households with annual incomes over $50,000 subscribe to a broadband service at home — compared to 68% of households with incomes of $30,000-$50,000, and 47% of households with incomes under $30,000. By comparison, 41% of households with annual incomes under $30,000 do not have use computer at home, compared to 3% of households with incomes over $50,000, according to LRG.
LRG conducted telephone surveys of 1,351 households across the U.S. as part of its new “Broadband Access & Services in the Home 2012” study.
Other key findings in the report include:
- 65% with broadband are very satisfied with their Internet service at home, while 3% are not satisfied
- While 76% with broadband don’t know the speed of their Internet connection, 63% of broadband subscribers rate the speed of their Internet connection 8-10, and 6% rate it 1-3
- 2% of all online households say that broadband is not available in their area — compared to 6% in 2008
- Overall, 1.3% of all households are interested in getting broadband, but say that it is not available in their area
- Overall, 0.6% of all households are interested in getting broadband, but cite cost as a reason for not currently subscribing to a broadband service
- Overall, 0.6% of households have an iPad, tablet computer, or video-capable eReader, but do not use a laptop or desktop at home.
“While higher-income households remain most likely to subscribe to a broadband service, computers in the home also increases with household income,” commented LRG president and principal analyst Bruce Leichtman. “Disparities in computer ownership are the true roots of the broadband divides in the US.”
