The SSRC was commissioned by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to analyze the factors shaping low rates of adoption of home broadband services in low-income and other marginalized communities. The resulting study is one of the only large-scale qualitative investigations of barriers to adoption in the U.S., and complements recent FCC survey research on adoption designed to inform the National Broadband Plan. The study draws on 171 interviews of non-adopters, community access providers, and other intermediaries conducted across the U.S. in late 2009 and early 2010.

At the broadest level, it finds that:

• Broadband access is increasingly a requirement of socio-economic inclusion, not an outcome of it—and residents of low-income communities know this.
• Price is only one factor shaping the fragile equilibrium of home broadband adoption, and price pressures go beyond the obvious challenge of high monthly fees. Hardware costs, hidden fees, billing transparency, quality of service, and availability are major issues for low-income communities.
• Libraries and other community organizations fill the gap between low home adoption and high community demand, and provide a number of other critical services, such as training and support. These support organizations are under severe pressure to meet community connectivity needs, leading to widespread perceptions of a crisis in the provider community.

Download the full report 

Multimedia:

• Video and Q&A from the ALA-hosted briefing: Vimeo, Facebook
• Photo slideshow: Snapshots from Albuquerque, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Greene County, NY, and Philadelphia
• What's Your Internet Story? An initiative by the Minnesota Digital Justice Coalition

Related links:

• America's Digital Inclusion Summit: An overview of the National Broadband Plan, hosted by the FCC and the Knight Foundation
• The Poor Don't Care About Broadband? Of Course They Do, Matthew Lasar, Ars Technica
• Two Studies That Deepen Our Understanding of Barriers to Broadband Adoption, John Horrigan, FCC