Broadband is too important for this many in the US to be disconnected

With communities all across the country exploring ways to overcome the digital divide, and with Congress sending clear signals about the importance to address rural disconnect, now is an opportune time to help policymakers and practitioners understand the benefits of pursuing new infrastructure, public policies, and training programs. For us, that process begins with understanding where the current state of knowledge is clear and where it falls short.

Broadband benefits: What we don't know. Though there is a lot of excitement around broadband’s potential to reshape the economy, save the planet, or increase life expectancy, the technology is still in its early days and there is so much we don’t yet know. For one, we’re eager to see what effect the technology has on wealth generation and inequality. It’s imperative researchers continue to study whether the digital divide is another contributing factor to the rising income inequality seen all across the country. Given the wide range of technologies qualifying as broadband, we also don’t yet have standards around what universal broadband adoption would even look like. We’re left to wonder: Does broadband adoption at different speeds result in radically different outcomes What is the minimum speed that should count in setting a universal standard? Do wireless and wireline adoption result in the same outcomes? And will the benefits look different across different geographies and socioeconomic groups? Over the coming months, we’ll be exploring these questions in more detail. Relying on interviews with experts, number-crunching, and as much reading as we can handle, we hope to make clear the case for equitable broadband access across the United States so that everyone can enjoy its benefits.