Boosting Digital Equity in Phoenix

A partnership between Common Sense Media, Arizona State University (ASU), and the Digital Equity Institute is working to increase awareness of and enroll eligible households in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Through a multipoint marketing campaign targeted to low-income communities with high eligibility for the federal broadband subsidy program, Common Sense Media is directing Phoenix residents toward the ASU Experience Center, a call center with more than 100 phone specialists. Here, trained employees walk Phoenicians through the ACP application process. With the Digital Equity Institute, ASU is working to bring a team of digital navigators to the Experience Center and build off of the partnership with Common Sense Media. With additional funding from Maricopa County, ASU’s Experience Center continues to expand its capabilities to make a range of digital equity resources available to callers. This work could not be done without combining national resources and community knowledge. Local organizations and preexisting digital navigators ground the work in community knowledge and connections, while the policy expertise and resources provided by Common Sense Media help to expand reach. ASU’s Experience Center has the infrastructure and people to run the campaign’s programming end, building off of other efforts to help ensure that everyone is online.