Broadband Fact of the Week

By IIA

In a recent study, the U.S. Commerce Department estimated that differences in income and education accounted for about half of the gap in Internet usage between whites and Hispanics and African-Americans.

— Shapiro, Robert and Kevin Hassett.  “A New Analysis of Broadband Adoption Rates by Minority Households.” Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy.  Washington D.C.  June 22, 2010.

Learn more facts in our ever-expanding Broadband Fact Book.

The Future of Health Care & the Digital Divide

By Marcia Thomas-Brown, Guest IIA Blogger

As the nation’s health care services are increasingly delivered and accessed online, a divide is becoming more apparent between those who have access to broadband and those who do not. Making matters more complicated is the fact that more and more health care services are being offered online as well as mandates for electronic medical records. This trend toward the digitization of everything healthcare related could leave many unserved and underserved users on the wrong side of the digital divide.

To prevent this divide from widening, we as a nation must take affirmative steps to promote investment and innovation in broadband infrastructure as well as encouraging greater digital literacy. Without investment in critical broadband infrastructure, traditionally vulnerable and underserved segments of society will not have adequate access to broadband and the healthcare services that it will deliver. This means that underserved persons with diabetes and heart disease will not benefit from digital monitoring and online telehealth applications designed to monitor and detect abnormalities, before they become harmful or fatal problems. It is important to note that chronic disease disproportionately affects communities of color, seniors and low-income persons who stand to benefit most from chronic disease management services delivered online.

Investment — in health and digital literacy, and broadband infrastructure — is the first step toward providing access to all Americans. Innovation naturally follows next, as innovators and small business owners eager to invent new services find their way into the healthcare IT business and begin offering newer and better solutions that improve the quality of life of those with broadband access. But universal health care without universal broadband access could unintentionally create a new generation of medically underserved Americans – a new social class of high speed internet “have nots” — who will be unwillingly segregated from the broadband health care services that their fellow citizens enjoy. 

The same obstacles that technology is designed to eliminate — weather, transportation, wait times — for the health care recipient who has to travel 10 miles to a library to use the Internet to access telehealth, the obstacles to change in name only; it’s as difficult to access broadband as it is to make a traditional doctors visit. Let’s avoid this tragedy by ensuring broadband access for all Americans by preserving the environment that has borne the thriving Internet we know today.

Marcia Thomas-Brown is an IIA Broadband Ambassador, Chief Operating Officer of the National Health IT Collaborative for the Underserved, and Program Manager for Health Information Technology at the Summit Institute for Research and Education. 

The High Price of the Digital Divide

By IIA

IIA Co-Chairman David Sutphen has an article on RollingOut on the high cost the African American community — and other communities currently languishing across the digital divide — are paying:

Unfortunately, too many African Americans are at a competitive disadvantage because they don’t have an important asset in today’s digitally driven society — a broadband Internet connection. At a time when the Internet has become our society’s economic, political and cultural glue, the lack of high-speed broadband access means you’re not competing on a level playing field.

Read David’s full piece at RollingOut.

What If Indeed

By Brad

Writing on his blog, Navarrow Wright of Maximum Leverage Solutions (and an IIA Broadband Ambassador) pinpoints an unfortunate reality of the endless net neutrality debate:

What if every ounce of energy, every creative brainstorm session, every dollar, every speech, every rally, every minute that has been devoted to the pseudo issue of Net Neutrality could instead have been aimed at the all-too real problem of broadband access in America’s inner cities, small towns, and low-income neighborhoods? What if?

Making Progress in Closing the Digital Divide

By Brad

IIA Co-Chairman David Sutphen has an op-ed for theGrio examining two recent reports from Pew that show suggest when it comes to closing the digital divide America is making progress:

A closer look at the Pew studies reveals that real progress is being made, through home broadband and wireless internet-connected devices, toward closing the digital divide for African-Americans. For example, from 2009 to 2010, the home broadband year-over-year usage rate of African-Americans increased by 22 percent from 46 percent to 56 percent, while the rate for white Americans and Hispanics remained largely steady. As a result, what was a 19 percent gap (whites 65 percent/African-Americans 46 percent) between white and African American home broadband rates in 2009, has dropped to an 11 percent gap (whites 67 percent/ African-Americans 56 percent) in one year. Moreover, Pew found that African Americans “lead the way” over whites and Hispanics in connecting to the internet through mobile handheld devices, and rank #1 when it comes to wireless data application usage.

Check out David’s full piece at theGrio.

Broadband Fact of the Week

By IIA

A recent study shows that the rate of broadband adoption among lower-income households will increase by more than 34 percentage points from 2009 to 2013.

— Shapiro, Robert and Kevin Hassett. “A New Analysis of Broadband Adoption Rates by Minority Households.” Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy. Washington D.C. June 22, 2010.

Learn more facts in our ever-expanding Broadband Fact Book.

Broadband Fact of the Week

By IIA

Studies show that by 2017, more than 90 percent of lower-income households and nearly 98 percent of middle-income households would have broadband service in a more flexible pricing approach.

— Shapiro, Robert and Kevin Hassett. “A New Analysis of Broadband Adoption Rates by Minority Households.” Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy. Washington D.C. June 22, 2010.

Learn more facts about broadband in our ever-expanding Broadband Fact Book.

Two Internets

By David

Via Broadcasting & Cable, the Minority Media & Telecom Council has sent a letter to the FCC warning that outlawing “quality of service” agreements as part of net neutrality would have a profoundly negative effect on minority businesses:

“By preventing these voluntary agreements,” says MMTC, “the Commission would effectively insulate established Internet-based companies from competition and allow for the proliferation of two Internets - one that well-funded, incumbent companies can use, and another for all other businesses.”

Signatures on the letter included the National Association of Black County Officials and the National Black Caucus of State Legislatures, among others.

David Sutphen in EbonyJet

By IIA

IIA Co-Chairman David Sutphen has penned a column for EbonyJet covering the digital divide, the National Broadband Plan, and the effect the FCC’s move to impose Title II regulations on the Internet will have on both. Here’s a taste:

The Obama Administration’s support of a national broadband plan that would grant access to the 100 million Americans that remain disconnected is a clear sign that they understand the challenges that communities like ours are facing in the current digital era. However, the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) recent moves to regulate the Internet with rules that have been used to regulate the phone system for the past 70 years are clear signs that the implementation of the national broadband plan is getting bumped down on list of priorities. Plainly said, the promise of materializing a national broadband plan to empower our communities is taking a back seat to a discussion about who can regulate the process and how.

What does this mean for all of us? It means that the FCC’s authority could very well lead to policies that will force the private sector to spend more money on regulatory process and ultimately pay for it by billing it consumers. It also means they won’t be in a hurry to invest money where it needs to be concentrated – in building broadband infrastructure which would create jobs and offer online resources that we need.

Read the entire column at EbonyJet.

The Plan Should Have Priority

By David

Rafael A. Fantauzzi, President and CEO of the National Puerto Rican Coalition, highlights a recent study from the Pew Research Center that finds wireless broadband is helping close the digital divide among Hispanics and African Americans. While the study results are encouraging, Fantauzzi warns that:

[D]despite these gains, a significant number of our citizens still lack the ability to regularly access the Internet and we must remain focused on expanding access to those without it. The National Puerto Rican Coalition (NPRC) was an enthusiastic supporter of the National Broadband Plan and its objective of 100% broadband access. We encourage the FCC to follow through with the implementation of the Plan to get all Americans connected.  Achieving universal broadband access should take priority over policies like the FCC’s recent “third way” proposal, which could inadvertently jeopardize the affordability and availability of broadband services. Let us hope that the FCC’s decision does not undermine the trend of increased broadband adoption in underserved communities.

A Letter to Congressional Leaders

By David

The Hill has posted a letter from a group of minority organizations asking Congressional leaders to step in with broadband legislation rather than the FCC writing up regulations on its own:

[W[e are concerned that the Commission’s proposed regulations could be a distraction from efforts to implement the National Broadband Plan. By injecting uncertainty into the broadband market, we fear that proposed regulations could have detrimental effects on investment, innovation and job creation. As staff from the Commission has estimated that it will take up to $350 billion to deploy broadband nationally, those underserved by broadband cannot afford a decrease in future investments.  Nor can American workers, who we must rely upon to build out broadband infrastructure across the country. The goal of closing the digital divide and creating jobs in our communities should be at the forefront of our broadband policy agenda at this time.

The full letter, including the names and organizations who have signed it, can be read at The Hill.

Broadband Fact of the Week

By IIA

According to the Pew Center and other sources, in 2009, 68 percent of white households had broadband service, compared to 46 percent of African-American households and 48 percent of Hispanic households.

— Shapiro, Robert and Kevin Hassett. “A New Analysis of Broadband Adoption Rates by Minority Households.” Georgetown Center for Business and Public Policy. Washington D.C. June 22, 2010.

Urging Congress to Step In

By Brad

This morning, eight prominent labor, civil rights, and environmental organizations sent a letter to Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Chairman John D. Rockefeller and House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry A. Waxman urging Congress to quickly and narrowly define the FCC’s authority over the Internet.

The signers were the AFL-CIO, the Communications Workers of America, the League of United Latin American Citizens, the National Urban League, the NAACP, and the Sierra Club, and in the letter they wrote:

We are united in our support of those elements of the National Broadband Plan that spur building and upgrading our high-speed networks, providing affordable access and digital skills to every American and building high speed capacity to every community anchor institution.

Unfortunately, the recent Comcast court decision threatens to divert our attention from these critical national objectives. The court concluded that the FCC had no demonstrated that it has jurisdiction over broadband Internet access. As a result, some question whether the FCC has authority to enforce its 2005 Open Internet principles and to use the Universal Service Fund to support the build-out of advanced broadband networks.

We can avoid further delays in building out a world class network if Congress quickly moves to pass legislation that clarifies FCC authority to protect an Open Internet and to apply Universal Service funding to broadband.

The full joint letter is available on the CWA website (PDF).

An Unnecessary and Troubling Distraction

By David

Today’s proposal to impose new and potentially sweeping regulations on broadband services under Title II of the Telecom Act represents an unnecessary and troubling distraction from the Obama Administration’s goal of universal broadband for all Americans. Such an unexpected sea change to established policy could deter new investment where it is needed most, potentially even exacerbating the persistent digital divide by pricing broadband beyond the reach of many low and moderate-income Americans.

A majority of Wall Street analysts have warned that the FCC’s regulatory changes will result in market uncertainty and undermine investment at a time when the FCC and the nation should instead be focused on creating jobs, closing the digital divide, and implementing the consensus components of the National Broadband Plan.

IIA Podcast: David Sutphen

By IIA

IIA Co-Chairman David Sutphen speaks at the New Media Entrepreneurship Conference about technological barriers of access for minority businesses.

IIA Video:  David Sutphen on Digital Literacy

By IIA

IIA Co-chairman David Sutphen discusses digital literacy and the lack of people of color in the emerging technology field.

Stay Focused on the National Broadband Plan

By David

From the NAACP’s reply comment to the FCC regarding net neutrality:

Less investment could result in higher prices for consumers, which our community cannot afford, particularly in these economic circumstances. As 42 percent of African Americans say that they do not have broadband because of cost, higher broadband prices would only exacerbate the digital divide. Fortunately, in recognizing the importance of investment and innovation in the Plan, the Commission will help to make broadband more available and more affordable. Moving forward, we hope that the Commission will maintain this course.

We are not confident that the proposed regulations in the NPRM will help to achieve the goals of the National Broadband Plan. The NAACP Board unanimously approved a resolution that cautioned the FCC to “ensure that broadband regulations are supported by documentation that they will not depress adoption or increase costs to minority, multilingual, tribal and low income populations.” With this in mind, we joined a group of national civil rights organizations in filing comments to the FCC, asking what the consequences of such regulations would be for underserved communities. We have yet to receive any indication or evidence that such rules would help spur access, and therefore, we are apprehensive about their effects.

Read the full NAACP response to the FCC.

Net Neutrality & the Digital Divide

By Brad

IIA Co-chairman David Sutphen has penned an op-ed for Fierce Telecom on net neutrality and its effect on the digital divide. Here’s a snippet:

Those who have been slow to adopt are also those for whom broadband can make the most difference. Too many minorities, non-English speaking populations, and members of low income and rural communities remain disconnected. Policies proposed in the National Broadband Plan such as digital literacy programs and making technology more affordable address the challenges facing these demographics and could have a powerful and positive impact, provided it is not accompanied by new regulations that would depress investment. Net neutrality did not cause—nor will it close—the Digital Divide.

Read David’s full op-ed at Fierce Telecom.

IIA Podcast: Sylvia Aguilera

By IIA

Sylvia Aguilera, Executive Director of the Hispanic Technology and Telecommunications Partnership, discusses the complexity of the digital divide and how the gap is widening at an increasing speed.

Connecting Older America

By Brad

Talk of the digital divide usually centers around connecting America’s minority communities. But many senior citizens are also affected, and as PC World reports, a new group is hoping to change that:

Broadband offers many benefits for older U.S. residents, including telemedicine, increased contact with family and friends, and shopping without leaving the house, but they subscribe to the service at a much lower rate than other people, some advocates for the elderly said Tuesday.

In an effort to change that trend, several technology vendors and groups that work with older people on Tuesday launched Project GOAL (Get Older Adults Online), an organization that plans to serve as a clearinghouse for programs and resources. Project GOAL will work with organizations working with the aging population to stress the benefits of broadband and to connect older adults with services such as computer training, said Debra Berlyn, executive director of Project GOAL.

More information about Project GOAL can be found on their website.