---
title: "FCC: Broadband Adoption and Use in America"
description: "An FCC survey finds that 78% of adults are internet users and 65% of adults have home broadband connections."
date: "2010-02-23"
authors:
  - name: "Susannah Fox"
    job_title: "Former Researcher"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/susannah-fox/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2010/02/23/fcc-broadband-adoption-and-use-in-america/"
categories:
  - "Digital Divide"
  - "Internet Connectivity"
  - "Technology Adoption"
---

# FCC: Broadband Adoption and Use in America

A new report released today by John B. Horrigan, formerly of Pew Internet and now at the Federal Communications Commission, finds that 78% of adults in the U.S. are internet users and 65% of adults have home broadband access.

Adults who do not have broadband at home fall into four categories:

**Digitally Distant**: 10% of the general population. Median age is 63. Half say that the internet is not relevant to their lives or they lack the digital literacy to adopt broadband.

**Digital Hopefuls**: 8% of the general population. Low-income, heavily Hispanic and African American. Likely to say they want to go online, but lack the resources.

**Digitally Uncomfortable**: 7% of the general population. Likely to own a computer, but lack skills and interest in taking advantage of all the internet has to offer.

**Near Converts**: 10% of the general population. Median age is 45. Cost is the biggest barrier to having broadband at home.

These findings are in line with Pew Internet's previous work, including:

[Internet, broadband, and cell phone statistics](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2010/Internet-broadband-and-cell-phone-statistics.aspx)

[Wireless Internet Use ](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/12-Wireless-Internet-Use.aspx)

[The Mobile Difference ](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/5-The-Mobile-Difference--Typology.aspx)(technology user types)

[Stimulating Broadband](https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/Reports/2009/Stimulating-Broadband-If-Obama-builds-it-will-they-log-on.aspx): If Obama builds it, will they log on?

The FCC survey included interviews with 5,005 Americans in October-November 2009. Download the full report ([PDF](http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-296442A1.pdf)) at [FCC.gov](http://www.fcc.gov/).