Recession or no, more Americans are getting online via fast, higher-priced connections, a closely watched study of U.S. Internet use has found. As of April, 63% of U.S. adults had broadband Internet connections in their homes, according to the Pew Research Center. That's a big jump from a year earlier, when a comparable survey found that only 55% of U.S. adults had broadband access at home.

Survey participants reported they're paying an average of $39 a month for broadband service, up from $34.50 a year earlier. At $39 per month, the average price is as high as it was in 2004 before it fell for the next four years. More consumers regard a broadband Internet connection as a necessity akin to electricity or water service, says John Horrigan, associate director for the Pew center.