A new survey conducted by the Pew Internet and American Life Project indicates that 24 percent of rural Americans have broadband access at home as compared to 39 percent of urban dwellers. Both statistics are drastically up from 2003 data that indicated only 9 percent of rural users and 22 percent of urban users had broadband Internet access.
Availability of quality broadband access is the root cause for the jump in rural usage as more cable companies have completed their footprint build-out (which extends to the most rural franchise areas) and the acceptance of broadband satellite companies like DIRECWAY.
The survey contacted 5,262 US adults in the winter of 2005.
