By PETER SVENSSON AP Technology Writer
> NEW YORK (AP) -- Middle- and working-class Americans signed up for
> high-speed Internet access in record numbers in the past year,
> apparently lured by a price war among phone companies.
> Broadband adoption increased 59 percent from March last year to March
> 2006 among U.S. households with incomes between $30,000 and $50,000,
> according to a survey to be released Monday by the Pew Internet and
> American Life Project.
> It increased 40 percent in households making less than $30,000 a
> year. Among blacks, it increased 121 percent, according to the study.
> Middle- and lower-income households still lag higher-income households
> when it comes to broadband adoption. Among the $30,000-$50,000
> households, 43 percent now have broadband, compared to 68 percent for
> those making more than $75,000.
> Overall, 42 percent of adult Americans, or 84 million people, have
> broadband, compared to 30 percent a year ago.
> Phone companies last year started slashing prices for broadband
> service that uses regular phone line to establish a digital subscriber
> line, or DSL. Both Verizon Communications Inc. and AT&T
> Inc. introduced $14.99 per month offers.
Wait until the permanent prices kick in at the end of the promotional period.