The Art of the Possible

I’m here today to urge you—city officials, business leaders, educators, digital equity advocates and city residents—to consider moving forward on building a city-wide, city-owned broadband network.  I was asked by a Texas Public Radio reporter a few days ago whether now was the right time, and I said—it’s past time. If the COVID-19 pandemic taught us anything, it was that affordable, high speed broadband Internet access is essential for full participation in our society, our economy, our education and health care systems, and our democracy. Access to broadband is not a technical issue, it’s a social and economic justice issue. The vast majority of residents of Bexar County—96%—have a broadband network available to them, according to a 2023 digital inclusion study. Regardless, that same study showed that 18% of county residents don’t have a home broadband connection, and 55% of those with connections rely on mobile hotspots, which are much slower than fixed broadband. The vast majority of those over 370,000 unconnected are low-income residents and people of color, and, in a significant number of zip codes, mostly to the south and east, 37% or more of residents have no home broadband connection.  With average monthly broadband bills of between $50-$100, this should come as no surprise to anyone. Indeed, while privacy concerns and general lack of interest in using the Internet were cited as reasons for lack of connectivity, the price of access and devices was cited as the number one cause. Just imagine the reaction if people learned that 370,000 residents of the county had no electricity or water. They would be outraged. 

[Gigi Sohn is Executive Director of the American Association for Public Broadband and Benton Senior Fellow and Public Advocate]