Middle Class Goes Broadband

[ROM-DOS]

Middle Class Goes Broadband As Price Falls

By PETER SVENSSON

NEW YORK (AP) - Middle- and working-class Americans signed up for high-speed Internet access in record numbers in the past year, apparently lured by a price war among phone companies.

Broadband adoption increased 59 percent from March last year to March 2006 among U.S. households with incomes between $30,000 and $50,000, according to a survey to be released Monday by the Pew Internet and American Life Project.

It increased 40 percent in households making less than $30,000 a year. Among blacks, it increased 121 percent, according to the study.

Middle- and lower-income households still lag higher-income households when it comes to broadband adoption. Among the $30,000-$50,000 households, 43 percent now have broadband, compared to 68 percent for those making more than $75,000.

Overall, 42 percent of adult Americans, or 84 million people, have broadband, compared to 30 percent a year ago.

A separate survey by Leichtman Research said DSL has now overtaken cable modems in popularity among middle-income households, though cable modems still make up the majority of home broadband connections overall, at 52 percent.

[tommie gorman]

"Overall, 42 percent of adult Americans, or 84 million people, have broadband, compared to 30 percent a year ago."

And one of these days you will be reading:

"Overall, 42 percent of adult Americans, or 84 million people, have FIOS, compared to 30 percent a year ago."

Now that will be the day.