Illinois Addresses the Digital Divide

The coronavirus pandemic has revealed many hard truths, and one of them is our nation’s digital divide. In Illinois, the Office of Broadband, through its Connect Illinois broadband program, is working to ensure broadband use by everyone in the state. The country’s largest state-matching grant fund is designed to achieve ubiquitous broadband access through local initiatives, private investment, and partnerships of all kinds. Today we take a quick break from federal digital divide efforts to focus on the work being done in Benton's home state. The Illinois approach balances short-term solutions with long-term strategic investment to achieve improved broadband mapping, community planning and capacity building, ubiquitous broadband access, and sustainable digital equity. The Illinois broadband strategy is anchored by distinct, yet interdependent goals providing short-term basic access, ensuring longer-term high-speed access, and demonstrating broadband leadership in service to community and economic development.