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Round-Up for the Week of June 26-30, 2023

All 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are currently working on digital equity plans. As they release draft plans seeking public feedback, the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is sharing summaries focused on how states define their digital divides and their vision for reaching digital equity.

The Montana Broadband Office's Digital Opportunity Plan will guide the state’s efforts to narrow the digital divide and provide all Montanans with affordable high-speed broadband, adequate access to devices, and the digital skills necessary to access the internet and its many services. The state's plan serves as a guide to Montana's work toward universal broadband.

Montana's Digital Equity Vision

The Montana Broadband Office’s (MBO) vision is to close the digital divide in support of Montana’s economic, workforce, health, and educational goals by ensuring reliable, affordable internet access for all Montanans.

A priority aim for Montana is to pair broadband deployment with digital opportunity efforts. This strategy will maximize the impact of new broadband service across the state. Montana has prioritized digital opportunity in its approach to improving broadband access, factoring in affordability, access to devices, and digital skills to help close the internet adoption gap across its covered populations.

Barriers to Digital Equity

Montanans, regardless of their status as members of covered populations, report lack of availability as the main reason that they don’t have high-speed internet. That being said, covered populations make up 83.3 percent of Montana’s population, with individuals who primarily reside in a rural area accounting for nearly two-thirds of the state’s citizens. The elderly constitute the second largest covered population at 27 percent, and households with incomes at or below 150 percent of the poverty line make up 21 percent of the state’s population.

Broadband Availability

As the fourth largest state in the country, Montana has an area of nearly 150,000 square miles. In terms of total population, Montana comes in 44th nationally, with just over one million residents. This low population density, coupled with topographic hurdles like vast plains and long ranges of the Rocky Mountains, poses challenges to establishing broadband infrastructure, leaving many Montanans without access to adequate internet speeds. According to a survey administered by the MBO, 73.8 percent of Montanans cited lack of availability as the primary reason that they don’t have high-speed internet. The Great Plains are glaciated, frequently freezing in the winter, and sparsely populated, and the Rockies feature mountains and high elevation—all of which may make laying fiber optic cable challenging and expensive. The eastern part of the state suffers from some of the lowest accessibility to and adoption of high-speed internet, and the Great Plains region, which is remote and sparsely populated, lacks adequate broadband infrastructure. Rural areas have the highest total number of unserved and underserved areas, with 7,826 underserved and 19,208 unserved. Rural areas also tend to have high proportions of elderly residents for whom affordability and lack of digital skills are barriers to access.

The Un- and Underserved

As a result of low broadband availability, compounded by other barriers, covered populations are unserved at higher rates than their counterparts, as a recent survey of Montanans shows, a higher prevalence of download speeds slower than 25 Megabits per second (Mbps)—with aging individuals at 52 percent, individuals with disabilities at 49 percent, veterans at 43 percent, and racial or ethnic minorities at 44 percent—compared to non-covered populations at 39 percent. The same is true for upload speeds between 3 and 20 Mbps—with aging individuals at 53 percent, individuals with disabilities at 52 percent, veterans at 52 percent, and racial or ethnic minorities at 41 percent—compared to non-covered populations at 51 percent.

Access to Devices

Individuals who are members of covered populations also have lower rates of access to internet-capable devices than their counterparts. In the absence of these devices, these individuals are unable to access the internet and its resources at home or on the go. The divide in device access is particularly pronounced for Native Americans, aging individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities. Individuals with disabilities face a number of hurdles related to device access, as many need specialized equipment that requires training, which is not readily available in much of Montana.

Covered populations use smartphones or cell phones to connect to the internet at lower rates than non-covered populations. The divide is most notable among those 60 and older (92 percent) compared to veterans and individuals with disabilities (94 percent), racial or ethnic minorities (96 percent), and non-covered populations (98 percent). Racial or ethnic minorities use desktops or laptop computers less frequently than their counterparts. However, they do report higher use of tablet devices (77 percent) than non-covered populations (75 percent). Just 70 percent of seniors report using tablets, which, if adopted, may present useful and user-friendly options.

Digital Skills

Survey data and anecdotal accounts from interviews with state agencies, including the Department of Military Affairs, suggest that many Montanans, particularly elderly individuals, veterans, and those living in rural areas, may benefit from additional digital skills training to help bridge the digital divide, which contributes to low rates of broadband adoption. A survey administered by the MBO showed that covered populations—particularly aging individuals, veterans, and individuals with disabilities—were less confident in their ability to know what information is safe to share online, indicating limited digital skills. Non-covered populations are 25 percent more likely to be very comfortable deciphering what information is safe to share online than those 60 and older and at least 15 percent more likely when compared with every other covered population.

In a survey of people without home internet, ten percent of veterans responded that they lacked broadband because they “don’t know how to use the internet,” compared to zero percent of non-covered populations. The absence of robust digital skills programs in the state may also contribute to inadequate digital skills and an unfamiliarity with the internet. Further, more concerted efforts may be needed to promote digital skills for individuals with disabilities, some of whom require specialized devices and tailored training to learn to use the equipment.

Affordability

While affordability is an obstacle to high-speed internet access, a Montana Broadband Office survey indicates that most Montanans are willing to pay more than $50 per month for internet. There is a gap in willingness to pay between covered and non-covered populations: 83 percent of non-covered populations are willing to pay more than $50, compared to 67 percent of those with disabilities, racial or ethnic minorities, and the elderly, and no more than 75 percent of veterans.

Survey data shows that across covered populations, lack of affordability is a primary reason for their lack of high-speed internet. Eighteen percent of survey respondents aged 60 and older report that internet is unaffordable, 22 percent of racial or ethnic minorities, 20 percent of individuals with disabilities, and 17 percent of veterans. Eighteen percent of non-covered populations cite lack of affordability as the main reason for their inadequate broadband access.

Despite the high rate of Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) eligibility among Montanans, at least 79 percent of eligible Montanans have not enrolled in the program, putting the state 41st in national ACP enrollment. At just 21 percent, Montana’s ACP enrollment is below the national ACP enrollment average of 33 percent, which presents an opportunity for Montana to focus on increasing ACP enrollment among low-income households. Counties with smaller populations are also more likely to have a lower percentage of households enrolled in ACP. Between large Montana counties, there is significant ACP enrollment variance, and the smallest 47 counties have significantly lower rates of ACP enrollment than the state as a whole. ACP uptake is minimal in rural areas of the state, while more populous areas also have room for growth. Cities with fewer households (less than 400) that are eligible for ACP tend to have lower adoption rates, as only nine percent of these cities have an adoption rate greater than 20 percent. Most cities with fewer than 100 eligible households have less than one percent ACP adoption. Densely populated cities (greater than 400 eligible households) are more likely to have higher ACP adoption rates.

The Montana Broadband Office’s recent survey results indicate that lack of awareness may be a key reason for low ACP enrollment.

Broadband Adoption

Even where high-speed internet is available, Montana still has a gap in adoption. Nationwide, Montana ranks 44th in high-speed internet adoption, with 67 percent of households subscribed to high-speed terrestrial broadband (including cable, fiber optic, or DSL). When considering all forms of internet, such as terrestrial broadband, cellular, and satellite, 89 percent of households have adopted broadband of some type, while 11 percent do not have internet subscriptions of any kind. Of the households that have adopted the internet, 78 percent have cable, fiber optic, or DSL, 87 percent have cellular data plans, and 11 percent have satellite internet service, suggesting that a significant number of Montanans are using cellular plans as their primary internet connection.

There is significant variation in the adoption of terrestrial broadband across Montana counties. Seven counties in the state of Montana have at least 70 percent adoption of terrestrial broadband. Five counties (Rosebud, Glacier, Powell, Mineral, and Roosevelt) have less than 60 percent adoption of terrestrial or satellite internet. Some counties with low rates of terrestrial broadband adoption are surrounded by counties with significantly higher adoption rates (e.g., Broadwater, Glacier), which could be due to topography and population density.

Satellite internet comprises a sizable portion of broadband adoption for several Montana counties, largely concentrated in the Southwest and Eastern regions of the state. Two counties rely on satellite for a sizeable portion (greater than 20 percent) of their internet usage: Ravalli and Broadwater Counties. The counties with higher satellite internet adoption than others generally have relatively lower terrestrial broadband availability.

Strategy and Key Activities

Broadband Availability

Connecting the Unserved

Montana’s priority in broadband deployment is to reach the state’s numerous unserved and underserved areas. The program’s main focus is on deploying broadband service to unserved locations (those without any broadband service at all or with broadband service offering speeds below 25 Mbps downstream/3 Mbps upstream).

Given the large number of unserved and underserved locations spread across the state, Montana may not have sufficient funding to connect all unserved and underserved locations with fiber. Cost analyses will be refined to determine the ideal mix of broadband infrastructure—potentially including fiber and fixed wireless—to bring high-speed internet access to unserved Montanans in areas that were previously lacking adequate broadband.

Key activities include:

• Determine priority unserved locations.
• Select ISP sub-grantees to build necessary infrastructure.
• Deploy priority projects.
• Deploy remaining projects.
• Monitor the number of unserved households over time to track progress against goals.

Goals and measurements:

The main goal of this effort will be to decrease the percentage of unserved locations from the initial baseline measure of thirteen percent. The short-term goal would be reducing it to ten percent, and the long-term goal is reaching 0 percent. To help track progress, ISP subgrantees will report back as they build the supporting broadband infrastructure.

Upgrading the Underserved

The state will deploy a mix of technologies, likely including fixed wireless and fiber, to make adequate broadband available to underserved Montanans. Cost analyses will be conducted and refined to determine the optimal mix of technology to Montana’s underserved population. Preliminary analysis estimates that it would cost approximately $830 million to provide fiber internet to all underserved and unserved locations in Montana. On June 26, 2023, The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) announced that the state of Montana would be allocated ~$628,973,800 in Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding as part of its “Internet for All” initiative.

Key activities include:

• Determine priority underserved locations.
• Select ISP sub-grantees to build necessary infrastructure.
• Deploy priority projects.
• Deploy remaining projects.
• Monitor the number of underserved households over time to track progress against goals.

Goals and measurements

The main goal of this effort will be to decrease the percentage of underserved locations from the initial baseline measure of 5 percent. The short-term goal would be reducing it to 4 percent, and the long-term goal is reaching 0 percent.

Invest in Community Anchor Institutions

Montana may prioritize bringing infrastructure to underserved and unserved community anchor institutions (CAIs) or increasing existing service to higher speeds that support broader, community-supporting activities. However, given the federal requirement of first reaching all unserved and underserved locations, upgrading service to CAIs will be dependent on the availability of funding.

Key activities include:

• Determine priority CAIs.
• Select ISP sub-grantees to build necessary infrastructure.
• Deploy priority projects.
• Deploy remaining projects.
• Monitor the number of CAIs over time to track progress against goals.

Goals and measurements

The state may establish a goal to serve every CAI, and to measure success, ISP subgrantees can report back on their progress of building the supporting broadband infrastructure. Montana may also set goals to make higher speeds available to CAIs, which may be tracked over time. This could be done by tracking the percentage of un- and underserved CAIs, with a current baseline of 20 percent, a short-term goal of reducing to 16 percent, and a long-term goal of reaching 0 percent.

Service Affordability

After broadband availability, affordability is the second greatest barrier to internet access faced by Montanans, as 16.8 percent of Montanans without high-speed internet cited lack of affordability as the primary reason for their inadequate internet access. Low income is strongly correlated to the affordability barrier: 35 percent of Montana households with an income under $20,000 do not have broadband at home, versus 17 percent for households with incomes $20,000-75,000, and five percent of those earning above $75,000. To improve affordability in the state, Montana can consider two main strategies—increasing ACP uptake and partnering with ISPs to provide additional low-cost service plans.

Increasing ACP Uptake

The state of Montana can help its residents take advantage of the ACP by increasing awareness and assisting eligible households in the enrollment process.

Key activities include:

• Select ACP-eligible target populations.
• Establish partnerships with non-governmental organizations, state agencies, CAIs, and ISPs.
• Provide individuals with relevant information about the ACP and support them through the enrollment process.
• Track the number of eligible Montanans who sign up for the ACP over time.

Goals and measurements

To measure the effectiveness of this effort, Montana can measure the percentage uptake of eligible households, which is tracked and made publicly available weekly by the Universal Service Administrative Company. This metric has a current baseline of 21 percent, a short-term goal of increasing it to 26 percent, and a long-term goal of reaching 47 percent, the current highest state uptake rate.

Offer Low-Cost Plans

BEAD-supported ISP sub-grantees will be required to offer low-cost plans, which will increase broadband affordability in the state.

Key activities include:

• Establish a definition of low-cost plans.
• Select subgrantees who meet or exceed the state’s defined threshold for low-cost plans.
• Track the number of low-cost plans made available to Montanans.

Goals and measurements:

The state may track the number of low-cost plans available to its residents. There is currently no baseline measurement, as BEAD has not yet started, but the short-term and long-term goals are the same as the ACP uptake targets.

Device Access

Expand CAI and State Agency Device Loans

Existing initiatives may be expanded to serve Montanans, particularly those who are members of covered populations. Further, device rental or subsidized device programs may be created to fill gaps, like those experienced by both seniors and rural populations. State agencies could be ideal partners for these loan programs, given their regular access to target populations, as could CAIs, which are already frequented regularly by community members who need to access broadband outside of their homes or take advantage of the other benefits provided by CAIs (Some internet service providers also offer free or low-cost devices to eligible subscribers (e.g., ACP or low-cost plan participants), which could be further scaled.

Key activities include:

• Catalog existing CAI loan programs and determine their needs or opportunities for expansion.
• Identify additional CAI locations where loan programs should be established and determine their equipment needs.
• Provide funding for or purchase internet-capable devices in bulk to reduce the total cost to the state.
• Provide the equipment to CAIs.
• Track the initiatives’ success over time through need fulfillment.
• Add or remove devices as needed.

Goals and measurements

The partners hosting loan programs can measure the success of these initiatives by tracking the percentage of need met. For example, if a library invests in two tablets, but needs four tablets available to meet patrons’ demand each day, that library would record 50 percent need met. Baseline, short-term and long-term goals have yet to be determined.

Increase CAI Device Access Points

Libraries could be a natural fit to establish and expand device access points, as many are already used for internet access and may have increased broadband speeds with BEAD support. These devices could be equipped with software that enables access for individuals with disabilities, which may include text reading software for those with hearing impairments.

Key activities include:

• Catalog existing CAI device access points and determine their needs or opportunities for expansion.
• Identify additional CAI locations where device access points should be established and determine their equipment needs.
• Purchase internet-capable devices in bulk to reduce the total cost to the state.
• Provide the equipment to CAIs.
• Track the initiatives’ success over time through device utilization.
• Add or remove devices as needed.

Goals and measurements

The partners hosting device access points can measure the success of these initiatives by tracking the percent of need met. For example, if a library invests in two tablets, but needs four tablets available to meet patrons’ demand each day, the library would record 50 percent need met. Baseline, short-term and long-term goals have yet to be determined.

Establish Adequate State Device Inventory

Montana can collaborate with state agencies to understand their needs for device access and purchase the necessary equipment to fill the existing gaps.

Key activities include:

• Determine state agencies' device needs through interviews and surveys.
• Purchase equipment software in bulk.
• Distribute devices to state agencies and monitor impact.

Goals and measurements

The success of this initiative may be measured by the percent of state agency need met. Baseline, short-term and long-term goals have yet to be determined.

Digital Skills

Data and state agency interviews suggest that many Montanans, including elderly individuals, veterans, and those who live in rural areas may benefit from additional digital skills training.

Montana may consider two potential approaches: developing digital skills curricula to be deployed through existing state agencies and partners, and funding targeted training programs to serve covered populations in need. For both of these potential approaches, the state will establish partnerships to create and administer the appropriate digital skills training.

Develop Digital Skills Curricula

Montana can take an inventory of its existing efforts, consider the broader goals of the state, and then prioritize which initiatives to formalize and expand through strategic partnerships.

Key activities include:

• Catalog existing initiatives.
• Identify additional opportunities.
• Partner with state agencies, who will create and administer the curricula, leveraging best practices observed in similar contexts.
• Track the number of individuals who receive training over time.

Goals and measurements

For each effort, the administering partner or agency may set a target number of individuals to receive training and monitor their progress on an ongoing basis. Baseline, short-term and long-term goals have yet to be determined.

Encourage Targeted Training Programs

Montana could partner with other state agencies (e.g., Montana State Library, Montana School for the Deaf and Blind) to design and deploy new tailored digital skills training programs to meet the needs of covered populations, who could benefit from lessons on fundamental digital skills and computer use. These skills would allow them to access telehealth and other basic services online.

Digital skills training can be delivered at local CAIs, with which targeted populations are familiar and where trust may be easy to establish. It can also be administered by state entity partners who serve various covered populations.

Key activities include:

• Determine priority covered populations.
• Select state agencies/partners to design and administer training.
• Partner with state agencies/organizations who will create and administer the curricula.
• Record the number of individuals who receive training over time.

Goals and measurements

For each effort, the administering partner or agency may set a target number of individuals to receive training and monitor their progress on an ongoing basis. Baseline, short-term and long-term goals have yet to be determined.

Montana Wants to Hear From You

Public comments on Montana's draft Digital Opportunity Plan can be submitted to the Montana Broadband Office at connectmt@mt.gov until July 30, 2023.

Quick Bits

• Biden-Harris Administration Announces State Allocations for $42.45 Billion BEAD Program
• Biden's internet affordability battle looms
• Utah’s Long-Lived Broadband Map is a Big Asset
• FCC Releases July 2023 Open Meeting Agenda

Weekend Reads (resist tl;dr)

• BEAD Challenge Process Policy
• Biden-Harris Administration Announces $8.39 Million in Internet for All Grants to Tribal Lands
• FCC Announces Over $29 Million in Emergency Connectivity Funding
• Remarks of Chairwoman Rosenworcel to the American Library Association

ICYMI from Benton

• Achieving Digital Independence in Utah
• The Affordable Connectivity Program and Rural America
• Boosting Digital Equity in Phoenix
• The Affordable Connectivity Program Needs More Funding to Continue Closing the Digital Divide

Upcoming Events

June 5––Once an Underserved Community Gets a Fiber Network What Can They Do With It? (Fiber Broadband Association)

July 11—Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture (FCC)

July 11––Indigenous Digital Sovereignty: From the Digital Divide to Digital Equity (NDIA)

July 12––Tribal Workshop Hosted by the Lummi Nation (FCC)

July 12––Everything you need to know about NTIA’s initial BEAD funding allocations (Broadband.Money)

July 13––The Opportunities and Challenges of Artificial Intelligence for Communications Networks and Consumers (FCC)

July 17––Ready or Not? (Ready.net)

July 18—Open Meeting of the Internet of Things Advisory Board (NIST)

July 18––Age Verification Tech for Social Media: Exploring the Opportunities and Pitfalls (ITIF)

July 18––The Broadband Revolution – The Impact of Open Access Last Mile Fiber Networks (Fiber Broadband Association)

July 19––ACP Enrollment Performance Tool AMA Webinar (Benton Institute)

July 20––July 2023 Open Federal Communications Commission Meeting (FCC)

August 20––Fiber Connect 2023 (Fiber Broadband Association)

 

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