It was recently reported that many people in the United States still had no broadband access, and according to the FCC thirty six percent of Americans without broadband have cited price as a main factor.
Whilst many of us could not imagine living without broadband in our homes these days, there are still many people that do not have access to broadband services for various reasons. According to the Federal Communications Commission thirty six percent of Americans that do not have broadband access have said that price is a main factor behind the fact that they do not have this service.
According to reports it is the cost of the broadband services as well as the cost of having a laptop or computer that many Americans cannot afford, and officials have said that in order to try and bridge the digital divide and get more Americans online the cost of broadband services needs to be reduced. With broadband considered so important and beneficial to consumers in the United States many are keen to see the price of broadband become more affordable.
The chairman of the FCC stated: “By 2020, the US should have affordable, 100-megabit broadband to 100 million American households. Broadband is indispensable infrastructure for the 21st century. It’s already becoming the foundation of our economy and our democracy.” The chairman, Julius Genachowski, was speaking at a press conference about the report “Broadband Adoption and Use in America.”
Advocacy groups believe that the answer to cheaper broadband in the United States is increased competition, which they think is something that the FCC needs to address. One group said: “The best cure for high prices is vigorous competition. The FCC should make certain that it includes as part of its National Broadband Plan provisions to create the competition that will bring down prices and produce better services for all Americans.”
Source – CS Monitor