You’re reading the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society’s Weekly Digest, a recap of the biggest (or most overlooked) broadband stories of the week. The digest is delivered via e-mail each Friday.

Round-Up for the Week of Dec 4-8, 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.

Alaska’s residents know what adversity looks like when it comes to accessing high-speed internet. The scale of unserved and underserved communities across Alaska is an obstacle to community and economic development, particularly for Tribal and rural communities. With federal resources and strong collaboration with Tribal partners, the nonprofit sector serving Alaska’s most vulnerable communities, and cities and boroughs, the State of Alaska is working toward changing this landscape. The Alaska Broadband Office released its draft Digital Equity Plan to the public in November 2023, detailing a statewide effort to close the digital divide. The state's plan is open for public comment until December 9, 2023.

A key charge of the Digital Equity Act is to listen and learn from some of the country’s most vulnerable, difficult-to-reach populations—Americans who experience challenging physical, language, economic, and cultural barriers every day. Outreach to these populations is difficult under any circumstances but accomplishing it in Alaska—where travel to a “neighboring community” often requires a flight, boat ride, and a 4-wheeler—required a unique approach. Three teams played key roles in developing and drafting Alaska’s Digital Equity Plan: The Core Planning Team, the Working Group, and the Steering Committee (collectively called the ConnectAK Planning Team). 

Alaska's Vision of Digital Equity

The Digital Equity Act of 2021 aims to address digital inequity by identifying barriers that disrupt access and by stimulating community-driven solutions. Throughout the development of the State Digital Equity Plan, Alaskans made their voices heard at listening sessions. This feedback was used by Alaska’s Digital Equity Steering Committee to produce the following Vision Statement:

Covered Populations and Barriers to Digital Equity

Alaska is larger than Texas, California and Montana combined. And 86 percent of Alaskan communities are not connected to any road system, meaning they are only accessible by boat or aircraft. More than 90 percent of Alaska is in some sort of public ownership, with 60 percent being managed by the federal government. While the dramatic and diverse landscape of the state allows thousands of Alaskans to live a subsistence lifestyle, and has for thousands of years, Alaska’s geography complicates access to the technologies and resources that are significantly more widely available in the Lower 48 (contiguous states).

Broadband availability in Alaska is the second lowest in the nation at 100/20 Megabits per second (Mbps), more than 15 percentage points lower than the national average. When including only non-satellite internet service options, 25/3 Mbps service is only available to 71 percent of Alaskan households and businesses. When looking at where broadband service is available for adoption, only 30 percent of boroughs (county-equivalent) or census areas (lacking a borough) have enough broadband connections to report to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Seventy percent of Alaska’s communities could be considered disadvantaged. Alaska is geographically unique, and the population is dispersed and rural, so the 30 percent adoption rate is truly indicative of a broadband deployment issue.

Alaskans are disproportionately affected by the lack of availability of affordable high-speed internet service. In many cases, the only available internet service is highly-priced, and often the most expensive plans also have data caps and additional penalties and fees. The cost of high-speed internet service remains a considerable barrier to adoption. Further engagement with the public and other stakeholders, including through statewide listening sessions, has confirmed that many residents across the state feel that their internet is unaffordable; others have cited high pricing as a primary reason they do not have high-speed internet in their households. Listening sessions revealed individuals paying as much as $1,000/month, and a Tribe paying nearly $7,000/month.

As of June 2023, 17,552 households have enrolled in the FCC's Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Experts estimate that 89,000 households in total are eligible for the monthly reduction in their internet service bill in Alaska; however, 80 percent of eligible households remain unenrolled.

Digital Equity Strategy and Objectives

The following strategies, activities, and key performance indicators (KPI) are broken into two sections: the first grouping of strategies apply generally to all covered populations. The second grouping of strategies are specific to specified covered populations.

Broadband Availability and Affordable Internet

Strategy: Develop an initiative for broadband affordability that includes policy, available pricing, Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment, and identification of new funding strategies.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Increase Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment and ensure sustainable benefits
  • Baseline: 20,304 households
  • Near-term: Increase enrollment by 33 percent per year for 3 years
  • Long-term: All eligible and interested households will be enrolled in ACP with long-term funding
• Increase the share of Alaskans for whom broadband is affordable
  • Baseline: To be determined following affordability study
  • Near-term: Increase covered share of Alaskans by 50 percent
  • Long-term: 100 percent of households in all communities in Alaska have access to an affordable broadband
    plan

Online Privacy and Cybersecurity

Strategy: Launch a statewide digital literacy campaign.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Increase the number of Alaskans who are digitally literate & use the internet safely.
  • Baseline: To be determined during the first year of planning.
  • Near-term: Establish digital literacy partnerships with organizations operating in 75 distinct municipalities; increase the number of digital literacy programs.
  • Long-term: Alaskans who choose to be, are digitally literate without barriers.
• Make cyber security trainings and resources available at Community Anchor Institutions.
  • Baseline: To be determined following audit about what resources currently exist and assessment on accessibility.
  • Near-term: Educational resources available in all public and Tribal libraries.
  • Long-term: Every community has at least one Anchor Institution providing cybersecurity resources and training.

Devices Availability and Affordability

Strategy: Create a program for device refurbishment, distribution, and maintenance.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Increase the number of Alaskans who have access to an affordable device that meets their needs
  • Baseline: 5 percent of Alaskans don’t use a computer or tablet
  • Near-term: Reduce baseline by 10 percent
  • Long-term: 100 percent have access to an affordable device that meets their needs
• Maintenance and repair activities are offered locally and expeditiously
  • Baseline: To be determined following a survey of qualified maintenance and repair facilities across Alaska
  • Near-term: To be determined upon completion of baseline assessment
  • Long-term: Most of the maintenance and repair will occur in Alaska and have a reasonable turnaround time based on the assessment
• Provide access to basic technical support for all Alaskans, including options for face-to-face basic technical support in local communities
  • Baseline: Unevenly distributed face-to-face support at Community Anchor Institutions (CAIs) across the state
  • Near-term: Engage with partners from all eight covered populations to identify, develop, and expand the number of in-person technical support opportunities at CAIs
  • Long-term: Alaskans can access local or distant, affordable technical support for their devices

Digital Literacy

Strategy: Ensure information and training is accessible in ways meaningful to Alaska’s eight covered populations.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Increase the number of pathways to increased broadband access at public entities
  • Baseline: The majority of Alaska public entities do not have public access points
  • Near-term: Reduce baseline by 10 percent
  • Long-term: The majority of Alaska public entities will provide facilities with public broadband access
• Ensure CAIs are available to covered populations, from an accessibility, language and cultural lens
  • Baseline: Conduct audit of CAIs to determine what digital equity resources are available, how they are accessible and existing outreach efforts with covered populations
  • Near-term: Based on audit, outreach to nonprofits serving covered populations to identify solutions for filling gaps.
  • Long-term: all CAIs have accessible digital literacy materials

Online Accessibility and Inclusivity

Strategy: Increase support for Alaska’s Community Anchor Institutions.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Encourage nonprofits and other partners to increase their focus on digital equity
  • Baseline: The majority of CAIs do not have a policy or plan to increase digital equity
  • Near-term: Increase adoption of a digital equity statement by 25 percent of CAIs
  • Long-term: Increase adoption of digital equity statements and implementation of activities by the majority of CAIs
• Enable the delivery of public and nonprofit services in ways that are consistent with digital equity
  • Baseline: The majority of CAIs do not use online services or have not taken digital equity into account in their use
  • Near-term: Implement a review of online access that facilitates digital equity
  • Long-term: Increase the number of online programs offered by CAIs
• Institute planning efforts that expand the capacity of CAIs to meet the needs of intended beneficiaries
  • Baseline: Coordinated efforts to plan for digital equity have not existed in Alaska
  • Near-term: Support activities of the Digital Equity Coalition to conduct outreach and initiate statewide planning
  • Long-term: Connect CAIs with resources and opportunities to expand capacity
• Partner with State and local governments, and the Alaska library system to consult on cyber security trainings and resources to individuals.
  • Baseline: To be determined following audit about what resources currently exist and assessment on accessibility.
  • Near-term: Educational resources available in all public libraries.
  • Long-term: Every community has at least one Anchor Institution providing cybersecurity resources and training.
• Enable the delivery of public and nonprofit services in ways that are consistent with digital equity.
  • Baseline: The majority of CAIs do not use online services or have not taken digital equity into account in their use.
  • Near-term: Implement a review of online access that facilitates digital equity.
  • Long-term: Increase the number of online programs offered by CAIs.
• Institute planning efforts that expand the capacity of CAIs to digitally meet the needs of intended beneficiaries.
  • Baseline: Coordinated efforts to plan for digital equity have not existed in Alaska.
  • Near-term: Support activities of the Digital Equity Coalition to conduct outreach and initiate statewide planning.
  • Long-term: Connect CAIs with resources and opportunities to expand capacity.

Covered Population-Specific Strategies

The Alaska Broadband Office details information about each of the covered populations in the state, followed by specific key performance indicators (KPIs). Included below are the definition of each covered population, Alaska-specific data about each population, lessons learned through the engagement, and, finally, the specific KPIs.

Individuals with a Language Barrier

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) defines a person with a language barrier as an individual who uses a language other than English at home, who speaks English less than “very well” or who has a low literacy level. According to the 2021 US Census American Community Survey, more than 59,000 people living in Alaska are foreign-born, and 15.8 percent of Alaska’s population speaks a language other than English at home.

Barriers identified during listening sessions included a lack of embedded translation services on websites, the accuracy of the translation when available, lack of familiarity and knowledge about how to access broadband at community spaces like libraries, and lack of opportunity to utilize available resources like grants because the application processes are often prohibitive to English Learner communities.

During a listening session, one English Learner shared a story about how, when they fell behind paying their electric bill, they didn’t know there was a process for applying for assistance and the electricity was cut off. With no electricity, their family was eventually forced to leave stable housing. Another person shared that it is common to ask children for help with navigating the internet when there are language barriers online and that people who can’t access the internet on their own feel cut out from the world and helpless. A third shared a story about how they lost healthcare coverage because they couldn’t figure out how to use the website.

Goal: Make Digital Resources Widely Available to Individuals with a Language Barrier

Strategy: Ensuring resources—including government websites and digital literacy materials—are accessible to English learners.

Key Activities:

• Conduct an audit of websites that offer online public benefits and social services for readability and language accessibility and identify “best practices”;
• Work with the State of Alaska and other front-line service providers to ensure website translations are available in the most common non-English languages spoken in Alaska, including developing a process for determining how frequently language audits are conducted and websites updated;
• Create a database of translated information and share the database with partner organizations, local governments and nonprofits, tribal entities, and groups that work with English Learners; and
• Ensure public resources like grant opportunities are available to and benefit English Learners.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Identify best practices for website readability and language accessibility and incorporate them into State of Alaska practices.
  • Baseline: Within 24 months, conduct a best-practices assessment for website readability and language accessibility and develop replicable guidelines;
  • Near-term: Incorporate best practices by department within the State of Alaska and update their websites by 2027;
  • Long-term: All State of Alaska websites as well as websites providing public services incorporate accessibility best practices by 2030.
• Make digital literacy trainings and materials available in multiple languages.
  • Baseline: Within 12 months, conduct an audit of digital literacy resources available to individuals with language barriers;
  • Near-term: Within each region of the state, identify nonprofits who work with English learner communities and translate materials as needed;
  • Long-term: All translated materials are put on a shared database to be used by nonprofits, community anchor institutions (CAIs), and local, state and federal government by 2030.
• Ensure libraries and public computer labs are accessible to English Learners.
  • Baseline: Within 12 months, conduct an audit of services currently offered to individuals with English language barriers at libraries and other public facilities with computer labs;
  • Near-term: Conduct outreach to libraries and nonprofits serving English Learner communities and provide education on available public services and how English learners can use them by 2027;
  • Long-term: All libraries and other public facilities with computer labs have and use a regionally appropriate strategy for including the English learner populations by 2030.
• Ensure public resources such as state grant applications are available to organizations serving the English learner populations.
  • Baseline: Within 12 months, conduct an audit of statewide grant opportunities and processes for including organizations serving English learner communities;
  • Near-term: Work with nonprofits serving English learner communities to identify accessibility barriers and reduce barriers by 33 percent by 2027;
  • Long-term: All state grant opportunities will incorporate English learner accessibility best practices by 2030.

Incarcerated Individuals

Incarcerated is defined by NTIA as individuals incarcerated in non-Federal correctional facilities. Alaska has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country. At mid-year 2021, the Alaska Department of Corrections (DOC) reported holding in-custody or supervising a total of 9,216 individuals, equating to approximately 1.3 percent of the state’s entire population. Among all those individuals, a total of 4,597 individuals were housed inside an in-state correctional facility, 16 were housed in an out-of-state correctional facility, 295 were housed at a community residential center, 195 individuals were in the community on electronic monitoring, and 4,113 individuals were on parole or probation.

Some obstacles identified during listening sessions were lack of access to broadband, lack of access to technology, and lack of digital literacy education.

The DOC doesn’t allow incarcerated people to access the internet, and state law prohibits prisoners from having a computer “of any kind” in their cell. This not only limits the ability to connect while incarcerated, but contributes to significant digital illiteracy, which can be the difference between success and failure once released. One formerly incarcerated father who was recently released shared, “Keeping in contact with your family is so important. A lot of people don’t have money to contact their family. It feels like you're isolated. For me, keeping those relationships and keeping hope was a big part of it. I really wanted to talk to my daughter every day.”

Many times, clients served by nonprofits feel stigmatized and isolated by their struggles to access and navigate the internet. One reentrant expressed feeling overwhelmed with trying to learn how to use technology. They asked, “How can we get back to living out here if we don’t know how to do it?”

Goal: Ensure Accessibility and Digital Literacy for Incarcerated Individuals

Strategy: Provide access to technology within correctional facilities across Alaska to facilitate opportunities for rehabilitation and reentry in ways that promote public safety, without cost to Incarcerated Alaskans.

Key Activities:

• Improve awareness among policymakers, the public, and prison staff about the importance of access to digital technology for successful rehabilitation and reentry.
• Identify opportunities to build and sustain technology infrastructures within correctional facilities.
• Expand access to and availability of education programming, 13 internet-based civil justice resources, and workforce development training programs for incarcerated Alaskans.
• Expand internet access to facilitate communication between incarcerated Alaskans and their family members to build support networks necessary for reentry.
• Expand access to technology for reentry partner organizations, and through the Alaska Court System.
• Build capacity for DOC staff to support increased access for inmates to information technology.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Improve Digital Literacy Education Levels
  • Baseline: Develop and administer a baseline digital literacy assessment to the incarcerated population to understand current skill levels.
  • Near-term: Improve digital literacy scores among inmates by 20 percent over baseline within one year of implementation of digital literacy education.
  • Long-term: Improve digital literacy scores by 50 percent over in five years and ensure ongoing training opportunities are available to incarcerated Alaskans until release.
• Improve Access to Online Legal Resources and Services at no cost
  • Baseline Measure: Determine the current level of access to digital legal resources and services among released prisoners, including opportunities for telephonic hearings.
  • Near-term Measure: Increase the use of digital legal resources by 25 percent within two years, including establishing access to online platforms for select court hearings.
  • Long-term Measure: Increase use of digital legal resources and services by 50 percent.
• Improve Access to Family Supports through internet and digital technology at no cost
  • Baseline Measure: Determine the current level of access to digital communications used to facilitate family and support visits.
  • Near-term Measure: Increase the usage of digital visitation by 25 percent.
  • Long-term Measure: Increase usage of digital visitation by 75 percent.

Goal: Ensure Digital Skills and Devices for Previously Incarcerated Individuals

Strategy: Comprehensive Reentry Support for Service Organizations

Key Activities:

• Engage Reentry Programs and Halfway Houses around digital inclusion initiatives, existing programs, and funding opportunities.
• Engage Workforce Development partners to create Job Centers within or in partnership with prisons.
• Support digital inclusion initiatives and increase awareness of digital literacy programs and access to affordable devices.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Post-Release Employment Rate in Tech-Related Fields
  • Baseline: Determine the current percentage of released individuals who gain employment in tech-related jobs.
  • Near-term: 10 percent increase in post-release tech-related employment within two years.
  • Long-term: Strive for a 25-50 percent increase in post-release tech-related employment within five years.
• Increase access to affordable high-speed internet at transitional housing facilities.
  • Baseline: Assess the current level of access to high-speed internet at halfway houses for formerly incarcerated individuals.
  • Near-term: Increase access to high-speed affordable internet at halfway houses by 50 percent.
  • Long-term: Attain 100 percent access to affordable high-speed internet at halfway houses.
• Identify sites for reentry digital trainings and device distribution
  • Baseline: Determine the number of sites currently offering digital training or device distribution as part of reentry programs, including Mobile Digital Training Units, Reentry Centers, Halfway Houses, and other anchor institutions
  • Near-term: Increase the number of sites by 50 percent, including in rural Alaskan communities
  • Long-term: Increase the number of sites to reach 100 percent of communities with access to digital training and devices to support successful reentry

Individual with Disabilities

NTIA defines people with disabilities as individuals with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This could include experiencing difficulties with at least one of the following: hearing, vision, cognitive, ambulatory, and self-care difficulties, and independent living difficulty. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 12 percent of Alaskans have serious cognitive impairments including difficulty concentrating, remembering or making decisions; 10 percent have serious mobility issues including difficulty walking or climbing stairs; 7 percent of Alaskans are deaf or have serious difficulty hearing; 6 percent of Alaskans have barriers to independent living, including difficulty doing errands alone or going to the doctor; 5 percent are blind or have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses; and 3 percent have limitations with self-care including difficulty getting dressed and bathing.

Obstacles identified during listening sessions included a lack of accessible websites and devices. Participants expressed frustration with both the cost and quality of service.

A member of the visually impaired community shared an experience about having to fill out an online form: “There was no way to fill it out by paper, have a proxy fill it out, go into an office, the only option they gave was to fill it out online, but the form was inaccessible.” An individual with a traumatic brain injury shared they had a doctor’s appointment near the end of the month, but their high-speed data ran out. They could not get connected to their appointment in a timely manner and lost their appointment with the specialist. When rescheduling, the next available appointment was more than a month out.

Goal: Digital Skills, Privacy, and Cybersecurity

Strategy: Launch a statewide digital literacy campaign

Key Activities:

• Within 12 months, conduct an audit of websites that offer online public benefits and social services to ensure they are compliant with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
• By 2027, create a statewide digital literacy program with a focus on in-person programming that includes:
  • Train the trainer initiative
  • Use of existing digital literacy curriculum and programs
  • Coordination and support of community partnerships
  • Digital literacy programming for Alaskans with disabilities that provides assistance specific to their disability
  • Expand and support existing digital navigator programs
  • Leverage existing digital literacy resources and curriculum, as well as resources that could be adapted to support digital literacy
  • Expand and support Section 508 and ADA compliance resources for state and local governments and public accommodations
  • Development of cybersecurity, online safety & privacy campaign

Key Performance Indicators

• Digital resources will be accessible for people with disabilities
  • Baseline: within 12 months, conduct an audit of all local, state, and tribal websites to determine their level of accessibility;
  • Near-Term: All state and 33 percent of local government websites will be compliant with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act by 2027;
  • Long-Term: All state and local government and public accommodation websites for Alaskan businesses will be compliant with Title II and Title III of the ADA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act by 2030.
• Provide access to basic technical support for all Alaskans, including options for face-to-face basic technical support in local communities
  • Baseline: Within 24 months, conduct an audit of accessible technical support offered at CAIs throughout the state;
  • Near-term: Engage with partners in the disability community to identify, develop, and expand the number of in-person technical support opportunities at CAIs and remote support for specific assistance;
  • Long-term: All Alaskans can easily access technical support for their devices that meets their needs by 2030.

Individuals who Live in Low-Income Households

NTIA defines a “covered household” as a household with income no more than 150 percent of the federal poverty threshold. According to the U.S. Census, 10.5 percent of Alaska’s population is living in poverty.

Some of the obstacles identified during sessions included the cost of purchasing devices and plans, and not being able to get to community anchor institutions for public access, especially individuals with inconsistent work schedules. During one listening session, an individual recalled the struggle just to do homework. When the library was closed, the individual would connect to the internet from their car. In the dead of winter, the temperature outside could be 60 degrees below zero. “There’s a lot of kids that work at night, taking a class or whatever, with the library internet. That’s a blessing for people that can’t afford internet at home.” A librarian shared a story about a homeless individual who regularly uses the internet to keep in touch with his girlfriend and child.”

Goal: Increase economic opportunities available through broadband for Alaskans in covered households.

Strategy: Increase access to and educational opportunities for economic growth of low-income Alaskans.

Key Activities:

• Develop technical training programs.
• Identify sources of online income options.
• Increase revenue from out-of-state for Alaskans in covered households.
• Increase the number of small businesses and decrease unemployment of Alaskans in covered households.

Key Performance Indicators

• Increase online income options for covered household members.
  • Baseline: Conduct an audit of what free or low-cost training resources are available to low-income individuals.
  • Near-term: Within 24 months, create and distribute best-practices training resources to nonprofits who work with low-income individuals;
  • Long-term: Materials are put on a shared database to be used by nonprofits, Community Anchor Institutions, and local, state, and federal government by 2030.

Aging Individuals

NTIA defines an “aging individual” as an individual who is 60 years of age or older. According to the Alaska Commission on Aging, in 2022 Alaskans aged 60+ represented more than 20 percent of the state’s total population. Some obstacles identified during public outreach included a lack of affordability and reliable internet services; the need for training on various devices and programs; and cybersecurity concerns.

During one listening session, a homebound elder shared that they couldn’t afford heat, much less internet service; however, they needed the internet to apply for eligible programs and services. Without an internet connection, they feared they may lose their home. Another individual talked about the toll of isolation on seniors. “Mentally and emotionally, not having access to connection, there are studies that show it increases dementia, depression, anxiety, all these different things. We have a lot of Alaskans with family elsewhere, so distance communication is a priority.”

And finally, one senior talked about the need for training. “I keep wishing I had a sixth grader next to me. I’m in my mid-70s, and I don’t even do Facebook. If you join something and they say, ‘oh look at Facebook, you’ll find it’. It’s way over my head.”

Goal: Increase digital safety, security, and digital literacy and competencies in Alaskans aged 60+

Strategy: Launch a statewide digital literacy campaign for seniors.

Key Activities:

• Encourage senior services providers, senior centers, libraries, and other local sites to become certified in curriculum specifically designed for seniors and begin offering in-person digital skills training to seniors and others in the community.
• Create a statewide digital literacy program with a focus on in-person and online programming for seniors that includes:
  • Train the trainer initiative or sites licensed to provide training specifically to seniors.
  • Use of existing digital literacy curriculum and programs designed for seniors.
  • Coordination and support of community partnerships.
• Expand and support existing digital navigator programs to include a focus on working with seniors.
• Leverage existing digital literacy resources and curriculum as well as resources that could be adapted to support digital literacy and are designed specifically for seniors.
• Develop a cybersecurity, online safety & privacy campaign targeted to seniors.
• Create a statewide education initiative that includes in-person and regionally available trainers designed especially for seniors.

Key Performance Indicators

• Increase the number of Alaskans over age 60 who are digitally literate and use the internet safely
  • Baseline: Within 24 months, determine the number of programs offering digital literacy training specifically designed for seniors and determine best practices in curriculum designed for seniors.
  • Near-term: Establish digital literacy partnerships with organizations operating in 75 distinct municipalities; increase the number of digital literacy programs offered to seniors in-person, online and individually by 33 percent by 2027.
  • Long-term: All Alaskans over age 60 will have the opportunity to become digitally literate with programming designed for them by 2030
• Increase the number of in-person training sites across the state using a curriculum designed for seniors
  • Baseline: Within 12 months, conduct an audit of digital skills training sites and current programming across Alaska specifically designed for seniors, both in-person and online.
  • Near term: Work with local senior centers, libraries, and organizations that work with seniors to get at least one site per region per year certified in a curriculum specifically designed for seniors by 2027.
  • Long Term: All assisted living spaces, senior centers and libraries will offer in-person training using a curriculum designed specifically for seniors by 2030.
• Create a statewide campaign to promote free online training opportunities using a curriculum designed for seniors
  • Baseline: AARP Alaska currently offers an online training webinar series twice a year and Senior Planet offers technology classes daily.
  • Near term: Establish digital literacy partnerships with senior centers, libraries, and municipalities to increase awareness of online digital skills training opportunities using a curriculum designed specifically for seniors, and share information about skills training opportunities with 100% of local governments, tribal entities, and organizations that work with seniors in Alaska by 2027.
  • Long Term: All senior centers, libraries and municipalities will actively promote online digital skills training opportunities using a curriculum designed specifically for seniors by 2030.

Veterans

The NTIA defines veterans as individuals aged 18 years and older who served in the armed forces in the past and who were not discharged dishonorably, but are no longer on active duty. According to the US Census data, there are 62,744 veterans in Alaska. According to the Alaska Commission on Aging, approximately 22,569 or 32.3 percent of Alaskan veterans were aged 65+.

Obstacles identified during those sessions were lack of affordability of internet and devices, reliability of internet and devices, and the negative mental health impacts of poor digital experiences.

During a listening session, one veteran shared how internet unreliability has caused a disconnect from family and friends, causing the veteran to suffer from depression and suicidal ideation. Another veteran shared they will not get online because the internet is so slow and unreliable, the frustration can activate PTSD symptoms.

Goal: Increase mental health outcomes of veterans through the use of digital options.

Strategy: Equip Alaskan veterans with digital technology that can meet virtual healthcare needs.

Key Activities:

• Partner with hospitals, healthcare clinics, and the VA to identify barriers to online appointments.
• Provide outreach about digital healthcare best practices.
• Identify opportunities for digital healthcare and mental health services.
• Encourage Alaskan veterans to take advantage of online appointment options and other digital healthcare options.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Increase the availability of mental health resources to veterans
  • Baseline: Within 12 months, conduct an audit of the number of veterans who use digital options for mental health support and compile data about the amount of mental health support received digitally by veterans.
  • Near-term: Increase the number of successfully scheduled and completed digital mental health appointments by 33 percent by 2027.
  • Long-term: Increase the number of successfully scheduled and completed digital mental health appointments by 100 percent by 2030.

Racial and Ethnic Minorities

The NTIA defines a racial or ethnic minority as an individual other than White alone, or as Hispanic or Latino of any race. According to U.S. Census data, 43 percent of Alaskans are a member of a racial or ethnic minority group.

During listening sessions, obstacles participants shared included a lack of digital literacy, affordability of internet and devices, difficulty keeping up with technological expectations in school and work, and concern about being left out of efforts to address digital equity.

One participant expressed how helpful it would be to have digital literacy resources more available. “There needs to be classes and training opportunities. Not where individuals have to go someplace, but in their communities.” Another added, “And it would be great to have our trainers look like us."

A teacher shared how technology access impacts educational outcomes. “When I think of students who have access to high-speed internet with superior devices and programs, I know they’re doing a whole lot better than students in our lower socioeconomic groups. When we encourage teachers to expand the way they teach and to tap into different programs, some kids can’t do that. So, teachers have to be careful with how they structure the lessons and the learning.”

Goal: Ensure full inclusion of minorities in Alaska through digital literacy campaign.

Strategy: Provide digital resources in culturally appropriate formats.

Key Activities:

• Train the trainer capacity building
• Partner with CAIs to bring resources to ethnic minority communities

Key Performance Indicators:

• Develop “Train the Trainer” program for ethnic minority communities
  • Baseline: Within 12 months, identify organizations that can provide digital skills training.
  • Near-term: Outreach to nonprofits serving ethnic minority communities to offer train-the-trainer services.
  • Long-term: Local and culturally appropriate trainings available in every region of the state by 2030.
• Develop culturally appropriate digital literacy trainings and materials
  • Baseline: Within 12 months, conduct an audit of digital literacy resources available to ethnic minority groups.
  • Near-term: Within each region of the state, identify nonprofits who work with ethnic minorities and develop best practice-based training materials.
  • Long-term: All materials are put on a shared database to be used by nonprofits, Community Anchor Institutions, and local, state, and federal government by 2030.

Living in a Rural Area

The NTIA defines rural as the population living outside of cities and towns with more than 20,000 residents or living outside larger cities and towns with more than 50,000 residents and their surrounding urban areas. For the purpose of Alaska, rural is defined as anyone who lives outside Anchorage, Matanuska-Susitna, Fairbanks, or Juneau.

Obstacles identified during outreach included the astronomical cost of service, the cost of data overages, lack of affordable devices, lack of options for repairing devices if they break, unreliable service and negative mental health, and corresponding education, economic, social, and cultural impacts. Rural Alaska access and affordability conditions are incredibly difficult to overcome and will constitute a large part of the state’s success as it relates to digital equity, if and as they are improved. At the same time, many of the other covered populations are embedded in rural Alaska, further complicating outcomes.

One village leader explained that since the State of Alaska moved many applications for official documents and services online, it is difficult to apply for state services. “The state and federal agencies act as if we are all already connected. We are not, and we are trying to keep up and we can’t. Everything is published electronically: public notices, shore leases, reporting, job applications; many residents don’t have computers or the internet. We will be in the ice age when we get everyone connected.”

Another rural resident described how disproportionately high levels of spending on internet means less spending on other essentials. “High bills, including internet, means many people are not able to set aside any money for retirement. They’re just trying to scrape by and make it through the month.”

Goal: Ensure safety of rural Alaska online participation and increase competency of use.

Strategy: Deliver cybersecurity and training resources to rural communities.

Key Activities:

• Improve awareness among policymakers, the public about digital inequities in rural Alaska.
• Improve local access to devices and repairs in rural Alaska.
• Identify affordability.
• Leverage, as necessary and feasible, the State’s Broadband Parity Adjustment.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Provide cybersecurity software and services, and training, to rural residents
  • Baseline: Current lack of access has reduced ability for learning and increased vulnerabilities.
  • Near-term: Make available for all users vetted cybersecurity software and services.
  • Long-term: Increase the security and safety measures used by rural residents.
• Ensure access to devices that enable digital participation by developing a statewide device refurbishment and reuse program with a focus on rural residents
  • Baseline: Within 24 months, conduct an audit of rural refurbishment resources.
  • Near-term: Initiate training program for device refurbishment and repair with Alaska post-secondary and technology institutions by 2027.
  • Long-term: The majority of maintenance and repair will occur in Alaska and have a reasonable turnaround time based on assessment by 2030.

Alaska Wants to Hear From You

The Alaska Broadband Office is seeking comment on its draft Digital Equity Plan. To submit feedback, commenters can submit information using this form. For more information on Alaska's broadband efforts, visit the Alaska Broadband Office website.

Quick Bits

• Cable lobby to FCC: Please don’t look too closely at the prices we charge
• House Commerce Committee questions NTIA's Alan Davidson on Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment
• The ACP Helps Millions Afford Internet. It Could Be Gone by Next Year
• The battle to stop broadband discrimination has only just begun
• How Have California School Districts Used the Emergency Connectivity Fund?

Weekend Reads (resist tl;dr)

• Broadband/Internet Availability Survey Report
• FCC Proposes $22 Million in Fines for Rural Digital Opportunity Fund Defaults
• Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture in the United States
• Inside America’s School Internet Censorship Machine
• FCC Chairwoman Rosenworcel Updates Members of Congress on the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program

ICYMI from Benton

• Takeaways from the FCC’s LTD Decisions
• Recommendations for Connecting Rural America
• Georgia's Plan for Digital Connectivity
• In a New York State of Digital Equity
• A Plan for Digital Equity in Delaware

Upcoming Events

Dec 13––December 2023 Open Federal Communications Commission Meeting (FCC)

Dec 13––Little Nuggets of Tech and Telecom: Year in review and a preview of 2024 (Georgetown University)

Dec 19––Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee Meeting (NTIA)

Jan 16––Hearing on “Click to Cancel” Rulemaking (FTC)

Mar 25––The Right Connection (CENIC)

Feb 12—State of the Net 2024 (Internet Education Foundation)

More in this series:

• Georgia's Plan for Digital Connectivity
• In a New York State of Digital Equity
• A Plan for Digital Equity in Delaware
• Equity for the Digital Age: Maryland's Plan
• North Dakota's Collective Approach to Digital Equity
• A Plan for Connecting New Jersey
• Achieving a Digitally Inclusive Ohio
• A Digital Access Plan for All Idahoans
• Envisioning a Connected, Interconnected Alabama
• Missouri Pursues Sustainable Digital Opportunity Initiatives
• A Digital Equity Plan to Connect All Kansans
• South Dakota's Plan to Leverage Digital Equity to Reach Economic Goals
• Aloha Spirit Inspires Hawai'i Digital Equity Plan
• The Plan for Closing Nevada’s Digital Divide
• Wisconsin's Digital Equity Values
• ¡Su opinión cuenta! Puerto Rico Releases Initial Draft of Digital Equity Plan | ¡Su Opinión Cuenta! Puerto Rico Pública el Borrador Inicial del Plan de Equidad Digital
• Kentucky Pursues Full and Equitable Digital Access for All
• Tennessee Drafts a Digital Opportunity Plan
• Washington State Sets Digital Equity Goals
• West Virginia's Plan to Conquer the Digital Divide
• Rhode Island Works to Bring Broadband to All Residents
• Wyoming Seeks Feedback on Digital Access Plan
• Communities Know Communities Best: Michigan's Digital Equity Plan
• Montana's Digital Opportunity Plan
• Achieving Digital Independence in Utah
• Maine's Vision of Digital Equity
• A Look at Louisiana's Draft Digital Equity Plan

 

The Benton Institute for Broadband & Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people in the U.S. have access to competitive, High-Performance Broadband regardless of where they live or who they are. We believe communication policy - rooted in the values of access, equity, and diversity - has the power to deliver new opportunities and strengthen communities.

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