The report from the Ofcom Communications Consumer Panel is set to inform the content of the final Digital Britain report.
The survey of over 2,000 adults showed that 84% of people agreed that it should be possible for everyone in the UK to have broadband at home, regardless of where they live.
Many people already see broadband as essential and even more believe that soon it will be essential for everyone.
Consumers questioned in the survey supported broadband for all with 81% of people agreeing that it is everyone's right to be able to have broadband at home and 73% saying that it should be possible to access broadband at home, even if they have a low income.
Anna Bradley, chairman of the Consumer Panel, said: "The tipping point will be when broadband does not just provide an advantage to people who have it, but disadvantages to people who do not.
"Interestingly some people already feel disadvantaged: those who live in not-spots and those who have school-age children but do not have broadband at home."
Bradley said that the research provides clear support for the government's proposed universal broadband commitment but that it must make clear what services and activities people will and will not be able to carry out with a download speed of 2Mb/s.
The report also identifies which services consumers use the internet for: nine out of 10 internet users say that they use it for finding information; more than three quarters use it for communications; seven in 10 use it for transactions such as online banking; and more than half use it for entertainment services such as downloading TV content.