For years, the only thing that seemed to be holding back the quick adoption of high-speed Internet access was availability. Faster is better and people will always pay more for better, right? Not necessarily. A new study is showing that availability is no longer the problem; broadband access is out there, but people just don't think it's worth the cost.

The study, from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, shows that only 14-percent of those without broadband would upgrade if they could. Another 19-percent say they just don't have any interest in upgrading at all, but the most common response, selected by 35-percent of respondents, was that broadband simply costs too much. It's easy to see why; with little competition in most areas, brooadband prices are high, quality is low, and if companies get their way and start charging extra for heavy usage, those high prices could get even higher!

So, here's hoping all those broadband providers read this and get a little bit nervous: Sure, we're never going back to dial-up, but we wouldn't mind paying a little less for our broadband. [Source: AP]...

via switched