Panelists Urge Policymakers to Consider Equity, Civic Engagement in Broadband Plans

Policymakers and community leaders should focus on digital inclusion and equity as part of their efforts to boost broadband adoption and access to devices, panelists said Tuesday during Next Century Cities’ virtual bipartisan tech conference. Some panelists highlighted the interconnection between civic engagement and broadband access.

Access to broadband “is not a partisan issue,” said Next Century Cities Executive Director Francella Ochillo: “This is about making sure that people get what they need.” Broadband “should be looked at as a necessity,” said Berrien County, Michigan, Commissioner Teri Freehling (R). “This is a time to be bold,” Freehling said, saying local officials should advocate for broadband access and adoption in their communities.

The digital divide "compounds existing inequalities," said Senior Disability Action Network Consumer Rights Organizer Peter Estes. There are "navigational challenges" for people who may have access to broadband but are unable to find the resources they may need, said Marin County, California, Chief Assistant Director Javier Trujillo. "Accessing government services of any kind starts with an email address,” Trujillo said.

People who must attend a court proceeding virtually are “harmed in numerous ways” when they don’t have connectivity or access to technology, said Olivia Sideman, associate deputy public defender, Alameda County, California. "They cannot connect with the services that actually might help them," Sideman said, including emailing their attorney or attending court-mandated classes online. She said educating public defenders about broadband affordability programs like Lifeline would help them get clients connected.

Broadband is “a basic need,” said Mercer County, West Virginia, Commissioner Greg Puckett (R). It’s a “unifier” and “not something we have to argue about,” Puckett said. “We can’t have good telehealth services if we don’t have broad-based connectivity,” he said. Broadband access is a “human right,” said Brittany Woods-Orrison, broadband specialist for both Alaska Public Interest Research Group and Native Movement.

The COVID-19 pandemic “created the environment that exposed the very deep challenges that existed this entire time,” said Grace Simrall, Louisville Metro Government chief-civic innovation and technology. Meeting the broadband needs of households in rural, suburban and urban areas around the city varies, Simrall said. About 28% of households in Louisville don’t have access to broadband, she said, and about 22% of households don’t have a computer: “It’s a sad state of affairs.”

Coordination on broadband is a “big thing” in rural areas, said Buckeye Hills, Ohio, Regional Council Broadband Coordinator Ryan Collins, noting many households still lack access to 10/1 Mbps speeds. Public-private partnerships have been “invaluable” for increasing access and digital inclusion efforts, Collins said.

Policymakers are “confronted with the reality that the social divide mirrors the digital divide,” Simrall said. The city established a computer donation and refurbishment program to give households a device, hosted digital skills training programs, and partnered with community-based organizations to help residents that were “technology uncomfortable," she said. Pole attachments also need to be considered, Simrall said, citing the need for one-touch, make-ready ordinances and large area permitting.

Digital inclusion “has been at the core of what we’ve been doing for the past five years,” said Connect Maine Executive Director Peggy Schaffer. The start of the pandemic made it “apparent that everyone did need high-speed broadband,” said Condon, Oregon, Administrator Kathryn Greiner. “A lot of the barrier is affordability,” Greiner said, noting access is also an obstacle in her county. The county has a study on hold about wireless networks, she said.

“If we don’t solve this problem now, we risk cutting people out of the next century of our economic growth,” said Samuel Blackwood, Project Ready New Jersey director-public policy. In New Jersey, many households haven't adopted broadband because of affordability. Efforts to improve affordability should include a focus on equity, Blackwood said.