• Ars Technica, Friday, January 23, 2009 11:45 AM

President Barack Obama has promised that a broadband stimulus package is on the way, with $6 billion as the estimated starting point. However, a new Pew Internet & American Life Project survey indicates that Obama's efforts may be for naught, as many Americans who don't currently have broadband access say they don't want it, no matter how cheap or fast the connection is.

According to the survey, 19% of dial-up users say "nothing" would get them to upgrade their service, not even lower prices. Meanwhile, a third of those who don't regularly use the Internet at all, said they "were not interested in going online," while 10% said it was too "difficult," and 7% said they don't "have time."

In the short term, at least, it looks as though bringing broadband access to rural and poor areas will only feed demand for a limited subset of Americans, as most of the country's older and poorer consumers don't see the need. One way to boost demand, Ars Technica suggests, would be through national e-health and e-government programs. Ars also points out that those who already have broadband tend to want more of it. Indeed, U.S. speeds lag badly behind many countries in Europe and Asia. Pew says that "one-third of existing broadband subscribers are low-hanging fruit to adopt faster broadband soon after it is available," and many others would upgrade to faster speeds in time.

Read the whole story at Ars Technica »