The fast-growing ubiquity and utility of online in the US has been revealed in a survey from Leichtman Research Group (LRG), showing 87% of US households now get an Internet service, compared with 83% in 2016 and 69% in 2006.
The findings were based on a survey of 2,000 households from throughout the US and are part of a new LRG study, Broadband Internet in the U.S. 2021, LRG’s nineteenth annual study on the topic.
And in terms of what kind of connection US homes were taking, LRG also found broadband accounting for 98% of households with an Internet service at home, and 85% of all households receiving a broadband Internet service. This represented an increase from 81% in 2016 and 42% in 2006.
Overall, 60% of broadband subscribers were very satisfied (8-10 on a 1-10 scale) with their Internet service at home, while 7% were not satisfied (1-3). Similarly, 68% of broadband subscribers agreed (8-10) that their Internet service was meeting the needs of their household, while 4% disagreed (1-3). Almost two-thirds (63%) of broadband subscribers rate the speed of their Internet connection 8-10 (with 10 being excellent), while 7% rated it 1-3 (with 1 being poor).
Yet in making their assessments of service levels, nearly half (45%) of broadband subscribers did not know the download speed of their service, compared with 59% in 2016. Almost seven in ten reported Internet speeds of over 100 Mbps were very satisfied with their service, compared with 53% with speeds of less than 50 Mbps, and 58% that don’t know their speed.
In this growing online universe in the country, 60% of adults with an Internet service at home watched video online daily. This compared with 50% in 2019, 41% in 2016, and 5% in 2006.
“The percentage of households getting an Internet service at home, including high-speed broadband, continued to increase over the past year, and is now higher than in any previous year,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group commenting on the Broadband Internet in the U.S. 2021 report. “Broadband subscribers generally remain satisfied with their service, with 60% reporting that they are very satisfied, compared to 57% in 2016.”