Wireless Broadband & Mobile Apps are Keys to Renewed Economic Prosperity for Minorities

[Commentary] Employers are (slowly) beginning to hire new workers, but have been much more selective given the rather deep pool of talent that has formed as a result of the Great Recession. These dynamics are especially acute in minority communities, which have been hit disproportionately hard during this downturn. Indeed, the unemployment rates for African Americans (16.2 percent) and Hispanics (11.9 percent) remain at embarrassingly high levels, especially compared to the national rate (9.1 percent) and the rate for Whites (8 percent).

Access to broadband can help erase these disparities. The vast majority of employers now post job openings and other relevant employment information almost exclusively online. Communication between employers and applicants is often conducted over broadband. Yet despite these tangible benefits, minorities lag behind many others when it comes to home broadband adoption. To date, only about half of all African American and Hispanic adults have adopted broadband at home. These figures are important because, without broadband at home, minorities have extremely limited exposure to the large number of employment opportunities available online, which ultimately decreases their chances of finding a suitable job. Fortunately, mobile broadband Internet access and wireless handsets are rapidly becoming viable substitutes for in-home connections and computers.