Digital equity \u2013 access to affordable internet, affordable devices and digital skills \u2013 is a foundation for empowerment, digital transformation and economic opportunity. With states looking to drive historic investments in digital opportunity thanks to the Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment Program<\/a>, the Digital Equity Act<\/a> and more, it\u2019s clear we can no longer just consider the immediate lens of broadband availability<\/em> as a major indicator of opportunity. The pandemic made clear that being digitally connected \u2013 either through broadband or mobile internet \u2013 is a fundamental necessity for every citizen, and not just for school and work. The last two years has acted as an accelerant, driving essential activities online, from everyday businesses and services, such as banking and telehealth, to simply ordering food at a restaurant.<\/p>\n The dashboard was created with the best data possible as a resource to assist policymakers in identifying key places and communities within their state so they can direct funding and programmatic investments. Take Ferry County, Washington, for example, where the FCC claims<\/a> that only 0.4% of households lack access to broadband, which by itself provides a bright view of the county\u2019s digital opportunity. But our dashboard shows<\/a> that 97% of the county aren\u2019t using the internet at broadband speeds. Furthermore, more than a third of households don\u2019t have a desktop or laptop to use the broadband available to them.<\/p>\n The dashboard also confirms what we have long known: the digital divide isn\u2019t just felt in rural areas \u2013 it also deeply impacts cities. In Los Angeles County, where we\u2019re working with partner Starry to expand access to affordable broadband<\/a>, more than a quarter of residents aren\u2019t using the internet at broadband speeds, and roughly one in five households lacks a desktop or laptop computer, cutting off millions from the digital world.<\/p>\n The dashboard offers the opportunity to examine a city neighborhood-by-neighborhood, helping identify which areas most urgently need digital equity investments. Take my old neighborhood of Lindsay Heights in Milwaukee, Wis., for example, where as much as 65%, almost two-thirds, of households don\u2019t have a desktop or laptop, and more than 50% don\u2019t have a broadband subscription. Yet, just to the southeast, only 14% of households don\u2019t have a desktop or laptop and 16% don\u2019t have a broadband connection, a huge difference in just a few miles. By analyzing and illustrating the data at this deep level, lawmakers can now better identify where to focus time and resources to close these inequity gaps.<\/p>\n
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