The percentage of black households with broadband Internet connections has nearly tripled since 2005. A survey by the Pew
Internet & American Life Project finds that 40% of African American homes had a high-speed Internet connection in 2007, up from 31% in 2006 and 14% in 2005.
Broadband’s advance among African Americans is driven by the same forces furthering broadband’s adoption by Americans in general, says Pew Research Specialist Aaron Smith, co-author of the report. Reduced pricing by cable and DSL providers, aggressive marketing, and consumers’ exposure to broadband at work or school have stimulated demand. Two years ago, African Americans, senior citizens, households with an annual income under $30,000, high school graduates, and people with less than a high school education were underrepresented for having broadband at home.
“By far, the largest gains we’ve seen since 2005 have been within the black community. African Americans have outpaced all [sub-demographics] in terms of their adoption of broadband technology since 2005,” says Smith.