![]() The California Effect Seen Through Children’s Online Privacyīuilding Higher Education Rainy Day Funds The fifth-generation standard is breaking new ground in wireless technology and improving internet access, but how and if it can be used to close the digital divide remains unclear.Īs they wrestle with issues related to broadband access, policymakers must have a basic understanding of what broadband is, what 5G means (and how it differs from 2G, 3G, and so on), and how it all fits into the landscape of closing the digital divide. The FCC has made closing the digital divide a priority with considerable excitement about the deployment of 5G. Many believe the budget is insufficient to fully address the digital divide, and Congress is expected to provide additional assistance through future infrastructure bills. These funds are for broadband infrastructure investment and support to individual households to bring down the cost of broadband. Additionally, the American Rescue Plan appropriates $220 billion to states. Congress took steps in passing Covid relief packages to address the gap in broadband access by providing $7.1 billion in funding for broadband connectivity and infrastructure for schools and libraries. These conditions have made the need for addressing the pre-existing “digital divide” a hot topic amongst policymakers.ĭepending on the source, there could be anywhere from 19 (the FCC’s estimate) to 1 62 million people (Microsoft’s estimate) without access to high-speed internet at home. This new normal has elevated access to high-speed internet/broadband from a luxury to a necessity. ![]() Those American workers fortunate enough to work from home have faced challenges with access to limited internet bandwidth. Restrictions on in-person shopping and community lockdowns moved many services online, putting Americans who cannot afford or access broadband internet at a disadvantage. Millions of students have been attending school virtually, with many struggling to obtain or maintain sufficient internet speed. There are a variety of ways in which broadband, or high-speed internet, can be delivered, which complicates policy efforts that do not lend themselves to a one-size-fits-all approach.The pandemic has thrust broadband access and the digital divide to the forefront of American life. ![]()
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