Panelists like David Sutphen, co-chair of the Internet Innovation Alliance, asked that government focus on adoption first, especially among minorities and lower-income groups. “The National Broadband Plan is most important,” said Sutphen. “If we could get everyone who has been worried about open Internet principles focused on the digital literacy and value proposition gap, we’d go a long way towards solving the problem.”
High-speed Internet connections are helping to change the meaning of a snow day—serving as a vital tool to keep Americans working, even when the roads, public transportation and airports are not. For those who could go online from home during the storms, it was largely business as usual.
But clearly not enough could. The “Snowmageddon” of 2010 forced federal offices to shut their doors for days, resulting in an astounding loss of money and productivity. It’s been estimated that closing the government for just one day costs taxpayers roughly $100 million. If you factor in the business shutdowns in the private sector, it is easy to see that these storms exacted a high cost on the nation as whole.
The problem is that currently about a third of the population doesn’t have a broadband connection, and one in five don’t have any Internet connection at all.
I commend the FCC for its leadership on broadband adoption and for recognizing the role the Internet plays in the American job market. We no longer operate in a brick-and-mortar economy. Broadband increases opportunities for American businesses large and small to succeed and advance and enables new job creation as well.Investing in Internet technology and infrastructure benefits all business sectors, and at a time when economic recovery is at the top of our national agenda, broadband advancement has never been more critical.
— Bruce Mehlman
The new FCC study underscores the need to remain focused on closing the digital divide by addressing the American public’s attitudes about broadband and reinforces the IIA’s belief that digital literacy must be a key component of the National Broadband Strategy, due to Congress next month. In a 2009 survey of 900 African Americans and Hispanics by Obama pollster Cornell Belcher, 43 percent of respondents cited not knowing how to use the Internet or not seeing the need for the Internet as the reason why they are not online, and 44 percent of those same minorities polled said they would be more likely to subscribe to Internet services if they were provided free lessons on how to use the technology. Bridging the digital divide and getting every American online should be our top priority—broadband Internet is the great enabler and the great equalizer.
In advance of its deadline to present a national broadband plan to Congress on March 17, the FCC conducted a consumer survey on Internet usage. The commission will be presenting the results at the Brookings Institute today, but via Multichannel News here are some highlights:
The survey, a random phone survey conducted in October and November, found that 80 million adults (and 13 million kids) do not have high-speed Internet at home.
More than one-third of the non-adopters (28 million adults) indicated that they don’t have broadband because either the price of service is too high (15%); they can’t afford a computer; installation costs are too high (10%); or they don’t want a long-term service contract (9%). According to the survey, the average monthly broadband bill is $41.
In the U.S., the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) projects that high-speed connections to the home would increase the number of telecommuters to 19 million by 2012. That would save 1.5 billion hours of commute time—and reduce gasoline consumption by 5 percent.
John T. Chambers, “Broadband Speeds Our Economy,” Gigaom [blog], March 3, 2009.
Via CommsDay, the United Nations is getting into the Internet business by starting the Broadband Commission for Digital Development. Among the new commission’s major tasks: an overhaul of worldwide spectrum allocation.
According to Blair Levin, executive director of the FCC’s omnibus broadband initiative, more than three quarters of U.S. companies now accept resumes only online.
Grant Gross, “FCC still looking for broadband ideas,” IDG News Service. September 22, 2009.
The Democratic Leadership Council has released a new report on job growth in America. Entitled “Where Jobs Come From: The Role of Innovation, Investment, and Infrastructure in Economic and Job Growth,” it helps shed light on the important role broadband expansion plays in creating new jobs. From page 11 of the report:
Job creation was also strongest in the industries that utilized information technology and had the most to gain from faster Internet connectivity. Industries such as Information; Finance and Insurance; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; and Utilities saw employment growth ranging from 12 to 16 percent. Given this evidence, there is enormous potential for job creation if we expand broadband deployment and upgrade existing infrastructure. A Brookings study found that for every 3 million new lines deployed, nearly 300,000 economy-wide jobs are created. Separate research has shown small businesses, the drivers of job creation and biggest beneficiaries of faster networks, hire 40 percent of the high tech workforce of scientists, engineers, and computer programmers.
Post Tech reports that Rep. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) has introduced a bill that will expand a program to bring e-book readers and broadband access to low-income students.
The bill is an expansion of the original program passed in 1996 along with the Telecom Act, which increased school connectivity from 12% to 95%.
In the U.S., The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) projects that high-speed connections to the home would increase the number of telecommuters to 19 million by 2012. That would save 1.5 billion hours of commute time - and reduce gasoline consumption by 5 percent.
John T. Chambers, “Broadband Speeds Our Economy,” GigaOm, March 3, 2009.
Discouragement has been cited by the Bureau of Labor Statistics as a reason for an expected increase in the jobless rate this year. As of December, a large number of workers have quit looking for work because they think no jobs are available.
“Our study also shows the enormous potential benefit of community broadband centers for those who are not connected at home,” said Lawrence Spiwak, president of the Phoenix Center. “While broadband use at home delivers significant benefits, shared facilities can be a valuable solution to connectivity gaps in unserved and underserved communities.”
So far, efforts to put together a national broadband plan have mainly focused on bringing access to every home in America. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation worries that this risks leaving institutions in dire need of access behind. From Ars Technica:
The foundation tied to the Microsoft fortune has told the Federal Communications Commission that the government should spend more money on high-speed Internet upgrades for public libraries and schools. The FCC should make it easier to apply, too.
“A growing number of schools and public libraries cannot afford connectivity upgrades because of the inability to pay for one-time only installation, equipment and transport costs,” the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation warned the Commission on Wednesday. No big surprise that Gates is active in this area. Microsoft’s general focus when it comes to broadband stimulus questions is that resources should go to “anchor institutions”—libraries, schools, and hospitals.
Yesterday, FCC Commissioner Michael Copps delivered some strong words about broadband access for Native Americans. Reports Broadband Breakfast:
Telephone service penetration lags around 70 percent of Native American households, Copps said, calling the number “shockingly low.” But Copps was more concerned about the state of broadband data in Indian Country – or lack thereof. “[W]e don’t even begin to have reliable data on the status of Internet subscribership on tribal lands, because no one has bothered to collect it,” he said.
We’re excited to announce two new additions to our team: the Honorable Fabian Núñez and David Steward who, as honorary Chairmen of the IIA Broadband Ambassador Program, will lead a national call to action for broadband access and adoption for all Americans.
Núñez, a first-generation American born to Mexican immigrants, is the Speaker Emeritus of the California State Assembly. Steward is chairman and founder of World Wide Technologies, Inc., the only billion-dollar plus African American owned technology business in America.
As Honorary Chairmen of IIA’s Broadband Ambassador Program, Núñez and Steward will rely on their considerable legislative and business experience to elevate the debate about broadband access. Both embody the American dream and are passionate about ensuring broadband access for all, so that businesses and families at every economic level can thrive. We’re honored to have them aboard.
Although 96 percent of California’s residents live in an area with broadband access, most of the people who actually are connected make more than $80,000 a year, while only 58 percent of residents that make less than $40,000 can afford a $60.00 a month broadband package.
Sean Buckley, “California House member proposes discounted broadband service bill,” FierceTelecom. September 25, 2009.
A surprising new study from the Pew Internet & American Life Project finds that those who have embraced email and social networking in order to be involved in local and federal government have pretty much the same profile as those who have traditionally done so. From the study (pdf):
Contrary to the hopes of some advocates, the internet is not changing the socio-economic character of civic engagement in America. Just as in offline civic life, the well-to-do and well-educated are more likely than those less well off to participate in online political activities such as emailing a government official, signing an online petition or making a political contribution.
The Internet offers much potential for citizens to become engaged with local and federal government. But while expanding broadband access to every corner of the country can certainly help spur interest, until people outside of the traditional demographic find a reason to become engaged—which is something candidates and government entities should definitely be exploring—the web’s full civic engagement potential will remain untapped.
A new study from the European Commission finds that while half of Europeans connect to the Internet every day, a full third haven’t been online at all.
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