MACRUC Annual Education Conference Broadband is there an Urban Digital Divide?

Presentation to MARUC Conference: Broadband in Urban America Robert Atkinson June 3, 2008

Data on Urban Broadband Availability Are Limited However, the California Broadband Task Force does provide some data: – In the San Francisco Bay Area just 1% of housing units in bay area cannot get broadband. – In LA/Orange county, just 2 percent can’t get broadband, and most of these homes are in more rural parts of the country.

ITIF Survey on DC and Baltimore BB Availability Examined three low income neighborhoods in Washington DC and Baltimore, using Verizon and Comcast/Time Warner web sites to determine availability. –DC: Ward 8 (36% poverty), Ward 7 (25%) and Ward 1 (22%) –Baltimore: RPD 108, Lower Park Heights; RPD 123, Carroll Park, RPD 125 Cherry Hill

DC Broadband Availability 24 homes sampled. 100% had access to cable BB (6 mbs for $42.99 for existing cable TV customers, and $57.99 for freestanding). 83% could subscribe to DSL (768 kbs, $19.99 per month; 3mbs $29.99).

Baltimore Broadband Availability 15 homes sampled. 93% had access to cable BB (6 mbs for $42.99 for existing cable TV customers, and $57.99 for freestanding). 100% could subscribe to DSL (768 kbs, $19.99 per month; 3mbs 29.99).

Broadband Speeds in the District of Columbia Sources: Communication Workers of America, Speed Matters: A Report on Internet Speeds from All 50 States, 2007); Akamai, The State of the Internet: 1 st Quarter, According to CWA, average BB speed in DC is lower than US: DC: 1.37 kbs US: 1.97 kbs According to Akamai Technologies, DC ranks 10 th among states in % of BB connections faster than 5 mbs (27%), but 3 rd in the slowest connections of less than 256 kbs. (17%).

Adoption Remains the Largest Challenge for Many Urban Areas

Home Broadband Adoption By Community Type Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project, “Rural Broadband Internet Use” (February 2006).

% with Broadband at Home by Race/Ethnicity Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project and National Telecommunications and Information Administration

% with Broadband at Home by Education Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project and National Telecommunications and Information Administration

% with Broadband at Home by Household Income Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project and National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Households with Computers & Internet Access Source: Pew Internet & American Life Project and National Telecommunications and Information Administration

Implications Particularly important to help on the demand side: –spurring computer ownership –supporting digital literacy –supporting broadband through USF (e.g. a Linkup and lifeline program for broadband) –limit taxation on broadband and ISP services