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Digital Equity

BARRIERS & STRATEGIES

Paolo Balboa & Munirih Jester

digitalinclusion.org | @netinclusion

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WELCOME & AGENDA

Welcome
About NDIA
About Digital Inclusion
Broadband 101
Measuring Broadband (In)Equity
State of the Digital Divide: Research & Data
Digital inclusion Work
Funding
Coalitions
Q&A
NDIA/NYSL Webinar Series

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ABOUT NDIA

A unified voice for home and public broadband, personal devices, and local technology training and support programs.

600+

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Affiliates

States

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ABOUT NDIA

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ABOUT DIGITAL INCLUSION

Individuals and communities have the capacity for full participation in society, democracy, and the economy

DIGITAL EQUITY

DIGITAL INCLUSION

Individuals and communities have the capacity for full participation in society, democracy, and the economy.

Activities necessary for full participation:

Affordable home broadband
Appropriate devices
Digital literacy
Tech support
Applications

Definitions were created with our affiliates. This is an evolving field, especially in COVID and our definitions can and should evolve with it.

Digital Equity is the goal, Digital Inclusion is the how.

We want to get people to a framework of Digital Equity, but not everyone is there yet.

Census and voter registration example

One of the first things NDIA did was to develop definitions with affiliates. It’s an evolving field and our definitions can and should evolve with it.

In a practical sense, I think of Digital Equity in terms of how COVID affected the US last year. It was a Census year, a voter registration year, and a COVID testing year—when all of that suddenly had to happen online and not in person, the question became: How many communities and individuals are being left out of civic and societal engagement if they a) don’t have an internet connection, b) a reliable device, or c) don’t know how to access the resources available online? That’s an inequitable digital framework.

So, who do we get folks to that goal of Digital Equity? We look to Digital Inclusion as the means to get people to fully participate, confidently and independently in society, democracy, and the economy.

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THE SOLUTION

Affordable Broadband

Affordable Devices

Digital Literacy Trainings

NDIA and our affiliates like to use the analogy of a three-legged stool to describe our work as digital inclusion practitioners and advocates. These three legs—Affordable Broadband, Affordable Devices, and Digital Literacy Training—are ways to achieve digital equity.

Affordable Broadband is a question of availability vs. adoption. Just because wires are in the ground for a household to get the Internet, who is able/unable to pay? One way to address this is discount internet offers. Comcast’s Internet Essentials, ATT’s Access Internet program plan, just to name a few.

Local and national computer refurbishers and hotspot lenders represent the affordable devices piece.

But then there’s also what I would call the elusive third leg of the stool—training on how to use devices and the Internet. This represents the human component of digital equity work. It’s nice to get somebody signed up for home broadband service, it’s nice to make sure that they have a device like a laptop or a chromebook at home. But what happens if they don’t have the skills or knowledge to get to the digital services that they need? Who can they call on when they need help with the computer?

Traditionally places like public libraries have checked all of these boxes with public computer centers + staff trained to help community members get what they need.

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The Data and Research that we do with our affiliates results in infographics like this.

You’ve probably heard of the Urban/Rural divide in various contexts. NDIA and our partners are emphasizing broadband connectivity as an Urban AND Rural issue. No more splitting. I live in NYC where the issue is availability and adoption. Friends in n’hood who’s internet goes out but across the street in a coffee shop they’re fine. This is an ISP access issue but also an issue of affordability. Even with wires in the ground and/or cellular data coverage, who cannot afford to be connected?

Based on data from the American Community Survey 2019 One-Year estimates: 36 million households in total are without wireline internet access (wireline means Fiber, DSL, and cable), 26 million of these homes are in urban areas, while 10 million households are in rural areas.

To give some context, this figure for 36 mil households is almost as many households as California and New York combined.

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BROADBAND 101

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Broadband As Utility

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Broadband the Household Level

Household level
Not how it works
Reliable connection

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WHAT IS “BROADBAND?”

Broadband is the transmission of wide bandwidth data over a high speed internet connection.
How fast does data travel to and from your device?
Download/Upload
Megabits per second (mbps)
Defined by the Federal Communications Commission

2011: 4/1 mbps
2015: 25/3

**per device**

Source: Internet speed: How much do you really need?

https://www.cnet.com/home/internet/how-much-internet-speed-do-you-really-need/

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HOW DOES BROADBAND WORK?

Backbone
Middle Mile
Last Mile

Source: If We Build It, Will They Come? Lessons from Open-Access, Middle-Mile Networks

https://www.benton.org/sites/default/files/OAMM_networks.pdf

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BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AT HOME:

WIRED

“Fixed Line” - a physical line to the point of service

DSL

Local phone line to deliver high-speed internet
typically the slowest
widely available

Cable

This service uses cable wires, rather than telephone wires

Fiber (or “fiber optic”)

Fastest
Most “future proof”
Can carry massive (infinite?) amounts of data very quickly

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BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE AT HOME:

WIRELESS

Note: Wireless service relies heavily on wired infrastructure

Fixed (sometimes “Fixed Wireless”)
Mobile
Satellite

Maybe confusing? WiFi isn’t broadband, it just allows devices to communicate with each other at fairly close distances.

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BROADBAND INFRASTRUCTURE:

LAST MILE

Utility Poles
Conduit

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Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

Gateway to the Internet
Common ISPs

Cable
Telephone

Local Companies
Wireless ISPs(WISPs)
Community Networks

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Community Networks

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MEASURING BROADBAND (IN)EQUITY

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BROADBAND EQUITY ≠ AVAILABILITY

Availability = can you get connected, if you don’t care about price, speed, or reliability?
Is the area “served” by any broadband infrastructure at all?

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UNSERVED VS. “UNDERSERVED”

Even a billionaire can’t get broadband service because there’s literally no infrastructure = Unserved

Significant gaps and variances in speed, reliability, and affordability = Underserved

There are many more underserved than unserved in New York:

This is our “Digital Divide”

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STATE OF THE DIGITAL DIVIDE:

RESEARCH & DATA

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RESEARCH

29.2% US households do not have a wireline Internet subscription (wireline = cable, DSL, fiber),
7.1% US households have no device of any kind
26.5% NYS households do not have a wireline Internet subscription
8.1% NYS households have no device of any kind
Register for webinar session on:

April 5, 11-12:30 EST

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BROADBAND ADOPTION IN NEW YORK

% households with no device

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MAP YOUR COMMUNITY DIGITAL DIVIDE

I3 Tool
ACS - Data without Internet subscription
Register for webinar session on:

April 26, 11-12:30 EST

Catskill, New York I3 Tool

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DIGITAL INCLUSION WORK

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START UP MANUAL

State Library of North Carollina

Digital Skills Training

Devices & Options

Connectivity

So how has digital inclusion evolved in the pandemic?

Last Spring, NDIA had several community calls (initially COVID calls) hearing from affiliates who were figuring out in real time how to continue their services remotely. Over the course of the Spring and Summer last year NDIA held several working group meetings and interviews with our network to gather best practices and resources to reflect what works and doesn’t work with programs in a socially distant time.

Last Fall we updated a practitioner resource that we call the Digital Inclusion Start-Up Manual. This guidebook was updated in September 2020 to reflect best practices around Digital Inclusion programming in the age of COVID-19.

What we learned? Two trends of instruction: Asynchronous (pre-recorded videos, written guides, existing resources to send to learners), and live instruction. I was working for the NYPL at the time where we had to figure out how to connect with our learners remotely.

Phone (Tech Support)

As organizations adapt to teaching during COVID-19, staff roles have evolved to address learner needs over the phone or video call. Having a knowledgeable and patient staff to assist at the intake stage of reference helps build rapport between the learner and your organization, especially as both parties adapt to distance learning. A student at home may need guidance connecting their device to the Internet, or navigating the interface of the video delivery platform your organization has decided to use. Additionally, a student may need assistance deciding which class or learning pathway is appropriate for their interests and skill level.

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DEVICES & OPTIONS

Human I-T

Refurbishment partner organization
Buy low-cost devices
Get donated devices & prep yourself

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Connectivity

Affordability & Tools: https://www.digitalinclusion.org/free-low-cost-internet-plans/

FCC’s EBB: https://www.digitalinclusion.org/emergency-broadband-benefit/

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DIGITAL NAVIGATOR

Human I-T

Digital Charlotte

Program Model
Register for sessions on:

Part 1, January 11, 11-12:30 EST
Part 2, January 27, 11-12:30 EST

You know your communities best. This training designed upskill, share resources, research best practices

This model guided by our national network of affiliates

A Digital Navigator is someone trained to assess a community member’s need, and competently guide them towards resources that are suitable both for their skill level and lifestyle. Taking into account social distancing, a Digital Navigator can reliably point a community member to online resources suitable to their needs such as online classes or self-guided tutorials.

Digital Navigators is a program developed as a result of COVID for organizations and entities that need to continue to serve their community members in a socially distant time. So this digital literacy piece transforms into something that looks like technical support.

Digital Navigators are connectors and coaches who work in client-facing roles at community organizations like libraries and social service agencies. They can help people address home connectivity, learn digital skills, and find resources related to digital inclusion. Digital Navigators is a replicable, iterative model taking different shapes across the country.

NDIA currently supports different types of projects that emphasise economic development in Appalachia and the South, workforce development for older adults in Ohio, and another project with the Salt Lake City Public Library with funding from the IMLS.

Some of these projects have funding for organizations to purchase devices and set up discount Internet accounts for their community members, with the Digital Navigator providing that as-needed tech support to close the digital inclusion loop. These are holistic programs that address the three legs of the stool.

But that isn’t an exhaustive list of all the versions of this program. For instance, the cities of Philadelphia and Charlotte are working with their local 311 information lines to funnel technical support questions to trained staff and volunteers.

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FUNDING

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EMERGENCY CONNECTIVITY FUND

State Library of North Carolina

$7.2 BILLION

Barrier: Access, Affordability, Devices
Funding Recipient: Partner with Schools and Libraries
Overview: Reimburses schools and libraries for providing free broadband service (and connected devices) to students and patrons at their homes.

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INSTITUTE FOR MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES

Human I-T

$200 MILLION

Barrier: Access, Affordability, Devices, Digital Literacy, Navigation
Funding Recipient: Libraries
Overview: Respond to COVID-19 pandemic.

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CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT (CAA) NTIA

Fresno Housing

$1.5 BILLION

Barrier: Access, Affordability, Devices, Digital Literacy, Navigation
Funding Recipient: States, Territories, and Tribal Governments
Overview: created three broadband grant programs at the NTIA

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CONSOLIDATED APPROPRIATIONS ACT (CAA)

$288M-Broadband Infrastructure Program

Barrier: Access to unserved areas
Funding Recipient: Partnerships between States, one or more political subdivisions and ISPs
Overview: support broadband infrastructure deployment to areas lacking broadband, especially rural areas.

$980M-Tribal Connectivity Fund *

Barrier: Access, Affordability, Devices, Digital Literacy, Navigation
Funding Recipient: Tribal Governments
Overview: broadband deployment on tribal lands, telehealth, distance learning, affordability, and digital inclusion

$286M-Connecting Minority Communities Pilot Program *

Barrier: Access, Devices; Maybe: Affordability, Digital Literacy, and Navigation
Funding Recipient: States, Territories, and Tribal Governments
Overview:expanding broadband access and connectivity to eligible Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges or Universities (TCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs)

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INFRASTRUCTURE BILL OVERVIEW

Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act: $65 Billion

Digital Equity Act: $2.75 billion over 5 years
Broadband Grants for States, DC, Puerto Rico & Territories: $42.5 billion
Broadband Benefit: $14.2 billion
Tribal Connectivity Program: $2 billion
Middle Mile Connectivity: $1 billion

Digital Discrimination

The bill text outlines “digital discrimination” (a softened definition of digital redlining) and charges the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) with creating rules to enforce

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INFRASTRUCTURE BILL- BREAKDOWN

Digital Equity Act: $2.75 billion (over 5 years)

$60 million for state planning grants
$1.44 billion for state implementation grants
$1.25 billion ($250 million a year for 5 years) for competitive grant program

Broadband Grants for States, DC, Puerto Rico & Territories: $42.5 billion

This is a new grant program NTIA will manage. The deployment funds will be issued as block grants to states with rules defined by the NTIA.
In addition to deployment, states can use funds from these grants for digital equity uses, including:

To deploy affordable networks in low-income, multi-family buildings
To promote broadband adoption
Deployment grant recipients (ISPs) must offer a ‘low-cost’ or affordable plan for consumers.

Broadband Benefit: $14.2 billion

Extends and amends the Emergency Broadband Benefit Program, including changing the name to the “Affordable Connectivity Program,” paving the way for a permanent program

Tribal Connectivity Program: $2 billion

Extends the Tribal Connectivity Program created by Congress in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 (CAA)

Middle Mile Connectivity: $1 billion

Creates a grant program at NTIA for expanding middle mile access, which will help connect unserved anchor institutions and make last-mile buildout to unserved households easier and cheaper

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OTHER FUNDING STRATEGIES

Business
Banks -CRA
Community Partners
Foundation

State Library of North Carolina

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BUILD A FRAMEWORK

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Community Reinvestment Act (CRA)

Federal law passed in 1977 to address redlining.
Encourages banks to make loans and investments and provide services in low- and moderate-income (LMI) communities.
Intended to be broad, flexible and responsive to changes within communities.

Engage

Connect community investment manager
Review CRA report
Offer partnership opportunity
Request resources/funding

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STRATEGIES FOR FUNDING

Develop FRAMEWORK
Engage PARTNERS
Leverage RESOURCES (new areas)
INNOVATE!

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COALITIONS

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DIGITAL INCLUSION COALITIONS

Coalition Are

Formed by diverse group of community stakeholders and organizations
Goal to align and coordinate collective action to address digital inclusion needs and efforts
Operate in the public realm with a certain degree of transparency
Structured for inclusive participation and leadership

Coalitions Do

Public education & advocacy
Resource and professional development
Strategic program alignments
Assessment of needs & resources
Support and develop digital equity plan

Register to Partnership & Coalitions Webinar

November 18th, 2021

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Q&A

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WEBINAR REGISTRATION LINKS

All sessions are from 11-12:30 PM EST

Partnership & Coalitions Webinar

November 18th, 2021

https://digitalinclusion-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpfumgrTojGtSWgY-WZ66yxvCbGMHli6Vx

Digital Navigator Webinar Series

Part 1: January 11th, 2022

https://digitalinclusion-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZcvde-trjkiG9MpWT2JqsAiqZHgBrNQkjPc

Part 2: January 27th, 2022

https://digitalinclusion-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIuceiorzkiGdMyISpt6MiGffdQMZ7WsBX7

Data Collection & Analysis Webinar

April 5, 2022

https://digitalinclusion-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEpcu6trj4pHd0ZrgdK2imWAjVb_eVjBAsF

Asset Mapping Webinar

April 5, 2022

https://digitalinclusion-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtfu2qqzwpH9egbISUHmojC6fnVicyDAo7

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THANK YOU!

digitalinclusion.org | @netinclusion