Rural households still fall behind urban households in...
Rural households still fall behind urban households in broadband adoption, said a June report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (http://1.usa.gov/1aL4hwz). In 2010, 62 percent of rural households and farms subscribed to Internet service, vs. 73 percent of urban households,…
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it said. “Rural households are almost as likely as urban households to use the Internet, but they are less likely to use broadband,” it said. “The lack of universal availability of broadband service partly accounts for the lagging usage rates of rural households, although ongoing technological changes and government programs have been improving broadband service availability and quality in rural areas.” Preference affects these subscriptions, and price drives that factor “to a certain extent,” the six-page document said. The report characterized farmers as early Internet adopters among rural residents. Access also differs by region, with residents of the rural South the least likely to subscribe to broadband, and households in the rural Northeast and West more likely to, said USDA. “Among rural households that use the Internet, broadband adoption rates are lowest in Appalachia and in several areas -- such as Michigan and South Carolina -- that experienced the highest unemployment rates during the Great Recession of 2008-09.” The report acknowledged a positive impact federal programs had on broadband coverage in rural areas, showcasing efforts from the Rural Utilities Service.