Bridging the Digital Divide

As we emerge from the pandemic, one thing is clear in the rearview mirror, there is a stark divide between the haves and have nots when it comes to technology. The pandemic underscored the digital divide in our nation. Right from the start, there were students who were able to continue with their education without skipping a beat, and others who lacked the hardware or connectivity to connect with teachers online. Some students struggled and fell behind over the past year. Similarly, white collar workers could carry on and continue earning an income much more readily than those in the service industry or blue-collar jobs.

WHAT IS THE DIGITAL DIVIDE
The problem is multifaceted. Bridging the digital divide is more than laying fiber. The digital divide is as much about awareness and education among underserved communities as it is about network deployment.

The digital divide refers to unequal access to:

• Hardware and software.
• High-speed internet.
• Training and skills to navigate digital resources.

Lack of devices, access to broadband internet and digital literacy have created a divide that isolates wide swaths of people, often in low-income or rural areas with low or poor connectivity. Factors such as age, socioeconomic status, education level and disability tend to play a significant role in IT literacy and can widen the gap.

ADOPTION ISN’T JUST ABOUT ACCESS
According to the Federal Communications Commission, 97% of Americans in urban areas have access to a high-speed internet. In rural areas, that number falls to 65%. While broadband is widely available in urban areas, many households don’t tap into it. Census data reveal that for every rural household that is not connected, there are three urban households that do not connect to high-speed data networks, despite availability.¹

Extending high-speed networks into the rural reaches of the nation is a regular topic of discussion, and while that’s an important and a laudable goal with a lot of support behind it, the issue of connectivity is more complex than availability. Many non-subscribers don’t understand why they should bother, or don’t have the financial means to purchase the requisite hardware for doing it.

In a number of areas, the cost of monthly service is prohibitive. And it’s hard to justify the cost if you don’t understand the technology, its importance, and its potential return on investment. Lack of digital literacy leaves people unsure of the value or where or how to access tech tools and make good use of the internet.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO BUILD A BRIDGE
Access to technology has major educational and employment implications, for starters:

• Seven out of 10 teachers assign homework that requires use of the internet.
• People who are unemployed and have access to the internet find jobs 7 weeks faster and earn $5K more.
• Students with home access will earn more, estimates say over $2M in the course of their lives.

Studies show that digitally equipped people contribute more to the economy. According to research from Broadband Now, providing needed technology and connectivity to 2 million people (of the 40-160 million who lack access), translates into a 1.2% bump in GDP, or a $4.8 billion increase.

We live in a technology-dependent society. From library books to medical records, we’re accessing and engaging important services and content online. Since the evolution to a digital economy will result in replacing repetitive-task jobs like grocery baggers and fast-food workers with self service technologies, a broad swath of the population is at risk of being left behind.

SOLUTIONS
The digital divide is a bipartisan issue that will require bipartisan solutions. On the federal level:

• The FCC’s Connect America Fund is now one of the largest public-private efforts to improve broadband access to rural and high-cost-to-access areas.
• In its December 2020 COVID relief package, Congress included $7 billion for a host of broadband initiatives including broadband access for low income households.
• Five years ago, the FCC expanded the Lifeline program, providing discounted broadband service.
• The FCC’s Rural Digital Opportunity Fund is investing $20.4 billion in grant money into developing rural broadband networks.

Our lives today are shaped by the web, yet many consumers are out of touch with the implications and importance of technology on our daily lives. Addressing the issues associated with the Digital Divide we need to start by being educated on and mindful of the issue and supporting legislation designed to bridge the gap. From there, the private sector can do its part to support grassroots efforts to provide the tools, technology and training to improve technology literacy and access.

To help get working devices into the hands of those who need them, rather than recycle that aging laptop, upcycle it through organizations like Human-I-T, Everyone On, The On It Foundation, or PCs or People. Local organizations ready the hardware and get it into the hands of those who want and need it.

Digital literacy is imperative in today’s world. If we don’t bridge the digital divide, we leave a large swath of people stranded and unable to connect to the people, organizations and groups they need access to in order to thrive.

¹https://bipartisanpolicy.org/blog/urban-broadband-blog/

Nancy Novak is Chief Innovation Officer of Compass Datacenters. She can be reached at nnovak@compassdatacenters.com.