The median American considers 50/5 Mbps as broadband

In March 2021, Recon Analytics conducted a demographically representative survey of 1,000 Americans using internet and cell phones, asking them about their opinions and attitudes around universal access, funding mechanisms, conduct, and usage. When it comes to broadband in the US, Americans overwhelmingly support two ideas. First, they agree that fast broadband should be available to every American at prices they can afford. Second, when presented with options for subsidizing broadband for those who can’t afford it, Americans overwhelmingly agree that companies that benefit from more Americans being connected to the internet should help defray the cost of subsidizing broadband for consumers who can’t afford it. More than 78 percent of respondents agreed that broadband should be available to every American, with broad support across large parts of the US. Interestingly, Americans who do not have what they consider broadband are less supportive of the idea of broadband for all. This finding, mirrored in other studies, indicates that any broadband infrastructure program must include an educational component if the administration is serious about getting all Americans online. There is also significant disagreement on what is considered broadband. The median American considers 50/5 Mbps as broadband, while almost roughly 29 percent consider Gigabit speeds to be broadband.

[Roger Entner is the founder and analyst at Recon Analytics.]