Broadband penetration jumps 15 percent in a year

Got high-speed Internet at home?

If not, you're in an increasingly shrinking minority: The Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project in its most recent survey has found that fully 63 percent of adult Americans have broadband Internet at their homes.

That's an enormous 15 percent increase in the number of broadband subscribers since the same time period in 2008 -- despite an ongoing recession that should normally be seeing consumers cut back massively on spending.

But Americans are actually paying more than ever for their Internet access: In May 2008 the average net connection cost $34.50 a month. As of April 2009, the average monthly rate paid is $39.

Broadband penetration had been stagnant for years, hovering in the mid-50% range since 2007, and this large jump in subscribers is a sudden phenomenon. Across the board, though, Internet access seems to be becoming a must-have utility instead of a luxury: Seniors, low-income Americans, non-college-educated users, and even rural Americans are installing broadband with record speed. In some cases, as with low-income households, high-speed Internet penetration jumped 40 percent in the last year.

While some consumers are feeling the pinch of recession, it's Internet that appears the most resilient of all media and communication platforms: 22 percent of adults have cut back on cable TV, and 19 percent of adults have cut back or canceled cell phone service, but in comparison only 7 percent of adults have canceled or cut back on Internet access.

Why is Internet so important? Users' reasons stretch across the board -- getting community news, dealing with health care providers, or sharing political and social views online. 

As for those 37 percent of Americans who don't have high-speed Internet, why are they still on the fence? Aside from the Luddites who don't want anything to do with the web... they're primarily waiting for prices to come down.

Good luck with that.

See the complete report here.