Bridging the Digital Divide
Broadband Toolkit Modules
- Introduction
- Module 1: Broadband 101
- Module 2: Regional & Tribal Planning
- Module 3: Data Driven Decisions
- Module 4: Find Funding
- Module 5: Bridging the Digital Divide
- Module 6: Broadband and Workforce
- Module 7: Broadband and Tourism
- Module 8: Broadband Definitions
- Module 9: Who’s Who of Rural Wisconsin Broadband
Bridging the Digital Divide: Key Steps to Empower Rural Communities
The digital divide in rural communities is the gap between those with high-speed internet access and those without, often due to limited infrastructure, high costs, lack of awareness, economic challenges, and insufficient digital literacy. This divide hinders access to education, employment, and essential services, impacting overall economic development. Bridging this divide involves three key elements:
- Affordability: Ensuring broadband services are financially accessible to all residents, connecting families and businesses to vital resources.
- Accessibility: Overcoming infrastructure challenges to provide reliable broadband in remote areas using solutions like satellite and fixed wireless technologies.
- Adoptability: Enhancing residents’ willingness and ability to use technology through digital literacy programs and outreach that demonstrate the benefits of internet access.
Together, these components empower communities, stimulate local economies, and improve residents’ quality of life.
affordability
Affordability is a key concern in both rural and urban areas of Wisconsin. The current survey data suggests that in many rural areas $65.00 per month is considered affordable. For rural residents costs can be well over $100.00 per month for service alone. If cost is a key concern in your region incorporating affordability initiatives in your broadband plans is a crucial step to bring costs down for your regional residents and increase the adoption rate. Increased adoption rates help providers and can help leverage your work with providers. Below are a few resources that can assist with affordability in your region.
Household Broadband Affordability Resources
Increasing Affordability Checklist
- Convene a Broadband Community Champions Team:
Gather a diverse group of stakeholders focused on affordability, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), local government representatives, librarians and community organizations. - Review Data Maps and Surveys:
Analyze broadband data maps and community survey results to pinpoint areas where internet services may be prohibitively expensive for residents. - Identify Cost-Prohibitive Locations:
Compile a list of specific neighborhoods or areas where broadband costs present significant barriers to access for consumers. - Create a Marketing Campaign:
Develop and launch a targeted marketing campaign to inform residents about available programs, subsidies, and resources aimed at reducing broadband costs. - Engage with AARP:
Reach out to AARP to explore collaboration opportunities on outreach strategies, ensuring that messaging effectively targets older adults and low-income households. - Monitor and Evaluate Impact:
Establish metrics to assess the effectiveness of implemented strategies and adjust the approach as needed to enhance affordability in the community.
Adoptability and Accessibility
Physical and educational barriers prevent people from fully benefiting from online opportunities, such as strengthening social connections, accessing telehealth and educational resources, pursuing business ventures, engaging in remote work, or expanding their small businesses. These challenges include difficulties with setting up and navigating computers, fear of cyber threats, and general inertia, often resulting in limited broadband use and a reliance on smartphones for digital access
Digital Navigator Model
Digital navigators assist community members throughout the digital inclusion process by addressing home connectivity, device usage, and digital skills. Through ongoing interactions, they build trust and encourage broadband adoption by alleviating discomfort and uncertainty around technology. These programs are especially vital for rural areas that lack reliable broadband or are new to it.
Digital navigators enhance digital literacy and provide personalized support, helping individuals access resources like job applications and telehealth services. They also promote community engagement by encouraging residents to seek help. By improving digital skills and access, these programs can boost local economies by supporting small businesses and attracting remote workers. Digital navigator programs have a significant impact on broadband adoption by addressing various barriers to digital inclusion.
According to a Boston Consulting Group study , over 65% of participants working with digital navigators gained home internet or device access, and more than 85% used the internet more frequently. Additionally, nearly 50% of participants reported better healthcare outcomes, and 33% found new jobs or earned higher incomes.
Ultimately, digital navigator initiatives are essential for closing the digital divide and empowering rural residents to thrive in a digital world.
Creating a regional network of digital navigators can enhance broadband adoption by addressing concerns and reducing stigma. Collaborate with local libraries and technical colleges to implement these programs that assist community members. The most successful initiatives actively gather feedback from participants and key organizations, such as the Division of Extension, to identify the most effective training for the community.
AARP in Rural Communities
AARP advocates for rural broadband access by pushing for policies and funding that expand internet availability in underserved areas. The organization raises awareness about the digital divide’s impact on older adults and offers resources to improve digital literacy and access to online services. AARP also collaborates with local organizations and government agencies to enhance broadband infrastructure and conducts research to understand the specific needs of rural seniors. Through these efforts, AARP aims to ensure that all rural residents benefit from reliable internet connectivity. Exploring Digital Equity Fact Sheet Series (aarp.org)
PSC’s Digital Connectivity Navigators Program
The Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC) offers a program called Digital Connectivity Navigators to assist residents in accessing high-speed internet services. This initiative aims to bridge the digital divide by providing guidance on available broadband options, affordability programs, and digital literacy resources. Navigators help individuals navigate the complexities of choosing internet services, ensuring that all Wisconsin residents, particularly those in underserved areas, can benefit from reliable internet connectivity. The program is designed to empower communities and enhance overall digital inclusion across the state.
National Digital Navigator Corps
In February 2022, National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) received a $10 million grant from Google.org to create a National Digital Navigator Corps. The funding is being used to build and advance local digital inclusion work and to strengthen the digital navigator model in rural and Tribal communities, in partnership with AMERIND Critical Infrastructure .
Bringing digital equity to northern Wisconsin isn’t easy, but it is important. There are many unique challenges to face, the infrastructure is still being built, people are spread out over long distances and getting access to the internet or even being aware of our services can be tough.
It’s not just that people need the tech skills or a device and the service to get online, but the understanding of why it’s important and what it could mean for them. The relief I’ve seen in our clients when they’ve gone from consternation to understanding lets me know it’s absolutely worth it.
Digital Navigator Funding
The funding ecosystem for digital navigator programs is diverse, with resources coming from federal, state, and local government agencies, as well as private sector contributions and nonprofit organizations. Effective implementation of these programs often requires coordination among these various funding sources to address gaps and ensure comprehensive support for digital inclusion:
- Federal Funding
- Under initiatives like the Digital Equity Act , NTIA provides grants to support digital literacy and inclusion programs. These grants are designed to help communities build capacity for digital navigation and support services.
- The FCC administers various programs that might indirectly support digital navigator initiatives, such as the Emergency Broadband Benefit and Lifeline programs.
- Local Government Funding
- Municipalities or county governments may offer grants or funding opportunities for digital navigator programs, often aimed at local community needs.
- Private Sector
- Technology companies and other corporations often support digital inclusion initiatives through donations or sponsorships. They may also partner with nonprofits to fund digital navigator programs.
- Private Philanthropy – In addition to funding, philanthropic organizations have expertise, as well as important connections to valuable stakeholders.
- Local Community Foundations – Community foundations are nonprofit organizations that support and improve local communities by managing and distributing charitable funds. They act as intermediaries between donors and community needs, providing financial resources for various local initiatives and projects.
- American Library Association offers funding for rural library programs.
- Internet Society’s Connecting the Unconnected Funding Program . The Connecting the Unconnected funding program supports communities and local organizations working to build and expand Internet infrastructure to connect people living in rural, remote, and low-income areas. This includes initiatives such as community networks, municipal networks, cooperatives, and other forms of complementary access solutions.
