Pew: Broadband gap will be hard to close

More users in the US are signing on to get broadband Internet every day. But according to recent research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project, the gap of those who have broadband access now and those who do not have broadband access will be hard to close over the coming years.

by Kristina Knight

According to the report, 47% of Americans have broadband access. That is an increase from only 24% in 2003. Though broadband penetration is expected to surpass 50% this year, there is a large portion of the population that does not have broadband access now and also shows no indication that they will have aces in the future.

Still there are inroads that will make broadband access more easy to get for many Americans. City and county governments are making it a priority to improve the infrastructure in rural areas so that users who live outside the city limit have broadband access.

According to the report, "More competition, lower prices and greater availability of faster infrastructure will be welcomed by American consumers." The report goes on to say, though, that those who don't have broadband access now don't know what they are missing, and therefore aren't pushing for better online access.