Digital Equity Matters

Mary Beth HenryDigital Equity/Broadband Advocate

Oregon ConnectionsOctober 18, 2018

Digital Equity Matters Agenda What is digital equity/digital divide/digital

inclusion & why does it matter?

• What Does the Research Say?

• Broadband Policy: Federal & State

Oregon’s Homegrown Success Stories: Access & Digital Inclusion

Community-Building in the Digital Age

Call to Action:

• What can we do at the State level?

• What can we do as individuals?

Final Thoughts

2

What is Digital Equity?

National Digital Inclusion Alliance 3

Digital Equity ensures all individuals and communities have the

information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy.

Digital Equity is necessary for civic and cultural participation,

employment, lifelong learning, and access to essential services

““

What is the Digital Divide?

Refers to the difference/gap between people who have easy access to the Internet, have devices, have digital skills and those who don’t.

The digital divide is really “digital divides”:• Differences between rural and urban Internet access

• Socioeconomic differences, people of different races, income levels, education, special needs or disabilities, etc. that affects their ability to access the internet

4

What is Digital Inclusion?

- National Digital Inclusion Alliance

5

Digital Inclusion refers to the activities necessary to ensure that

all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged,

have access to, and use of, information and communication technologies (ICTs

“

“

5 Elements of Digital Inclusion

- National Digital Inclusion Alliance

6

1) Affordable, robust broadband Internet service;

2) Internet-enabled devices that meet the needs of the user;

3) Access to digital literacy training;

4) Quality technical support; and

5) Applications and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration. “

“

Why Does it Matter?

Broadband infrastructure supports and enables everything – it is foundational

Digital skills underpin nearly every aspect of work and life

Economic Opportunity, Democracy, Healthcare, Education, Environment

>$1,850 per household per year in economic benefits

1 in 5 Oregonians don’t have internet at home

7

Broadband Availability in Oregon

8

Oregon is Slightly Above National Average for Speed and Penetration

9

66%

58%

17%

66%

50%

15%

Oregon National Oregon National Oregon National

Penetration by

Geography

10 Mbps/1 Mbps 25 Mbps/3 Mbps 100 Mbps/10 Mbps

However, Speed and Penetration are Not Equitably Distributed Across Oregon

Broadband Status

Total PortlandCentral Coast

Central Oregon

SW Oregon

NW Coast

North Central

South Central

Eastern

Broadband at home

82% 85% 83% 83% 79% 78% 76% 69% 67%

10

Higher penetration Lower penetration

Many rural and urban Oregonians lack broadband access at home

Broadband: A Rural-Urban Shared Imperative

11

Achieving Digital Equity

Low cost Broadband available @ home

Connecting training with relevant content & services

Low cost computers available

Public access computing centers

Regional collaborations/initiatives – partners

Funding for program sustainability

Outcome-based evaluation

Whole community strategy

12

What’s Happening at the Federal Level?

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• Rural Utilities Service – Additional $600 million coming soon

National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA)

• BroadbandUSA

Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

• Gutting the Lifeline program

• Rural broadband availability overstated

• Eliminated Net Neutrality & Title II regulation

• Tried to redefine broadband

• Connect America Fund (CAF) II

• eRate

• Local government preemption 13

What’s Happening at the State Level? Oregon Broadband Advisory Council

• Oregon Connections Conference – 23rd yr.

• Rural Broadband Capacity Pilot Program

• Local champions

• Rural Broadband and Broadband in Oregon reports

• Broadband Outreach & Strategic Planning – 8 local plans

• Under-resourced

Oregon Universal Service Fund

• Expanded to broadband 2017

• eRate: Established, but needs $

Oregon Fiber Partnership

Net Neutrality 14

A Look at What Other States Are Doing

Minnesota

California

Maine

15

Minnesota

Governor’s Task Force on Broadband Development (2008): Develops policies and action plans to promote broadband.

Office of Broadband Development (2013): Expands high speed broadband access to all households, businesses, schools and government buildings by 2026.

St. Paul Neighborhood Network (SPNN) – Community Technology Empowerment Project (CTEP) - AmeriCorps

16

California California Emerging Technology Fund – (CETF) (2005)

Provides leadership statewide to close the "Digital Divide" by accelerating the deployment and adoption of broadband to unserved and underserved communities and populations.

California Broadband Council (2010)

To promote broadband deployment in unserved and underserved areas of the state as defined by the Public Utilities Commission, and broadband adoption throughout the state.

Broadband and Digital Literacy Office

The Mission is to establish digital literacy throughout the state of California. Goal 98% of state to have broadband access and 90% adoption by 2023

17

Maine

ConnectME (2006): establishes unserved/underserved criteria, promotes use, supports investment, facilitates state support, collects and disseminates info, and administers funds.

• Broadband Action Plan June 2018 – State to pay 25% of cost of rural deployment for unserved (defined as < 25/3). Maine goal is 100/10

Axiom: Private rural provider (2004)

Axiom Education & Training Center

• National Digital Equity Center/ Maine Digital Inclusion Initiative (2017)

• Americorps18

Community Networks Across the Country

19

Oregon’s Homegrown Success Stories:Broadband Access

Douglas Fast Net

Eastern Oregon Telecom

SandyNet

EugNet

MINET

OnlineNW

LS Networks

20

Douglas Fast Net

Formed by Douglas Electric Coop (2001)

Partners Roseburg and Douglas County

Douglas County Fire District #2

State of Oregon

Mercy Medical Center

Umpqua Community College

Nine city governments, thirteen school districts, countless business and medical facilities and residential.

$39.99 to $89.99 per month (100MPS to 1 Gig)

11,000 active circuits that include residential and non-residential 21

Eastern Oregon Telecom

Hermiston/Umatilla County

EOT was formed in 1999, and was initially owned by Umatilla and Douglas Electric Coops, four telephone cooperatives and a telecommunications consulting firm

Initially offering telephone services, EOT expanded to high-speed internet in 2003

Employee buyout to facilitate expansion

All bi-lingual staff

3,500 customers

.22

SandyNet

Municipal broadband utility: started with wireless

Partnered with OFS & launched fiber construction in 2014

Take rate was 60% in first year, has grown to 68%

300 Mbps synchronous - $39.95

1 Gbps synchronous – $59.95

23

EUGNET

24

Economic Development Partnership – City of Eugene, Eugene Water and Electric Board, Lane Council of Governments, with support from Technology Association of Oregon

Open Access – publicly owned and available to lease by any ISP

About 70 buildings have signed up to connect

About 10 x faster and half the cost of other providers

New businesses and existing businesses expanding

Cities of Monmouth & Independence

Lit up triple-play fiber to the home system in 2007

Leveraging network for education and economic

development

Key assets are agility and alignment

Proximity to University partners (WOU, OSU)

Agricultural technology is a niche

MINETIn the Mid-Willamette Valley

Dayton & Willamina Develop strategic partnerships: Critical one being Innovate Oregon, a

part of the Technology Association of Oregon (TAO)

Create a new story: Build the first 10 Gig fiber network on the West Coast, introduce new Agile mindsets, skillsets and toolsets to the school and community, build an Innovation Fund with revenues from the network subscribers

Focus on the big story: Creating a new “opportunity paradigm” for rural communities

Tell the story: Use resources from the community to share the story both within the communities and to other communities

Public Private Partnership• LS Networks funded middle mile and POP• City funded local fiber distribution• Combined efforts provide 100% fiber coverage for the

community

Open Network• Any Internet Service Provider (ISP) can participate • Currently 2 ISPs participating in program

“Better Broadband than Portland”• GIGABIT Internet for $70 • Schools now have access to high speed broadband• 4G Wireless coverage improvement• Foundation for economical growth

• Remote teleworkers relocating to Maupin• Increased audience for local businesses

Low Cost Internet in Oregon

Discount Internet Guidebook

Comcast Internet Essentials

CenturyLink Internet Basics

Spectrum Internet Assist

Frontier

Oregon’s Homegrown Success:Digital Inclusion Programs

29

Libraries

Schools

ChickTech

Non-Profit Technology Network (NTEN)

Free Geek

Open Signal

MetroEast Community Media

Libraries Play Key Role

“Libraries are becoming more rather than less popular and central to civic life.”

Invaluable in promoting digital inclusion

Primary source of internet access for many Americans

70% of rural libraries are the only free Internet access providers in their community

Majority believe libraries should teach digital skills

30

Schools Play a Central Role Homework Gap

Refers to the difficulty students experience completing homework when they lack internet access at home, compared to those who have access.

Only 61% of US homes with school-age children have internet @ home

75% of US school systems do not have any off-campus strategies for providing connectivity to students at home and after school

Beaverton School District

Extended Library Hours

Wi-Fi Map & Hotspots in all High Schools & Middle Schools

Latino Technology Nights

TechSmart Initiative for Student Success - Mt Hood Cable Regulatory Commission

$19 million technology investment over 10 years

David Douglas, Parkrose, Reynolds, Portland Public Schools,

Gresham-Barlow, and Centennial

75% of school systems31

ChickTech envisions a safe, inclusive, and innovative technology future that includes equal pay, participation, and treatment of women.

In the last year:

6,126 Adults Served

1,471 Volunteers

73 Girls in Tech Events

171 Women in Tech Events

ChickTech was founded locally in 2012 and now has over 25 chapters across North America, we have built a multi-generational movement where we are improving the lives of women and girls, and transforming the technology industry as a whole.

Learn more:nten.org/DIFleana@nten.org

Launched in 2015, the Digital Inclusion Fellowship supports people in building critical digital literacy skills by providing training and capacity building to nonprofits.

Fellows participate in a one-year, project-based professional development cohort to expand digital inclusion programs in their community.

• 4 Cohorts• 60 Fellows• 20 Cities• 16,000 digital literacy students• 100,000 instructional hours

FREEGEEK.ORG

Sustainable Reuse● Responsible recycler and technology reuse facility● Processing over 1 million pounds of e-waste annually

Digital Access● Connecting volunteers, local nonprofits, and K-12 students with technology ● Granted 72,620 technology devices since 2000

Education● Offering free training on e-cycling, computer refurbishment to volunteers● Providing free classes on computer basics, digital privacy, programming and more ● Learners have logged 17,936 classroom hours in the last six years

Sustainably reuses technology,enables digital access and provides education to create a community that empowers people to realize their potential.

DIGITAL INCLUSION EFFORTS

Free Macintosh Basics classes for adults

Introduction to media technology and media literacy classes for middle and high school students and houseless youth

Introduction to digital video tools for Spanish speakers

Media classes for members of the disabled community

Free public media library, including MacBookPro laptops and iPads

Free wifi access at our community facility

Free public video production and animation labs

METROEAST COMMUNITY MEDIA

36

Relevant Digital Inclusion Programs Outside Oregon

WASH & LEARN INITIATIVE (WALI)

PC’s For People

Tech Goes Home

Older Adult Technology Services (OATS)

37

What Role Can Community Economic DevelopmentPlay in Bridging the Digital Divides?

Broadband connectivity

Knowledge workforce

Innovation

Digital equity

Are you telling your story?

Sustainability

38

Call to Action: What Can Oregon Do?Establish an Office for Broadband

Establish an Office for Broadband

Add wireless & VOIP to the

OUSF

Add wireless & VOIP to the

OUSF

Tax wireless to fund digital

inclusion

Tax wireless to fund digital

inclusion

Establish a broadband

investment fund

Establish a broadband

investment fund

Update Broadband

Adoption Survey

Update Broadband

Adoption Survey

Update Broadband Map & independently

verify

Update Broadband Map & independently

verify

Facilitate community broadband planning

Facilitate community broadband planning

Adopt policies that support broadband deployment

Adopt policies that support broadband deployment

Engage AmeriCorps

Engage AmeriCorps

Engage philanthropic community

Engage philanthropic community

Engage OSU Extension

Engage OSU Extension

Engage universities &

community colleges

Engage universities &

community colleges

Encourage tech talent to run for

office

Encourage tech talent to run for

office

Evaluate policies using a Digital Equity

Lens

Evaluate policies using a Digital Equity

Lens

Reach out to Federal Reserve

Reach out to Federal Reserve

39

Call To Action: What can we do as individuals?

5 Key questions

for effective people

Wait…What?

I wonder if…?

Couldn’t we at least…?

How can I help?

What truly matters to me?

40

MBH2

Slide 40

MBH2 Mary Beth Henry, 10/16/2018

Final Thoughts

The internet is the new essential utility, yet many Oregonians lack broadband access

The digital divide(s) is a critical economic challenge for both rural and urban areas

There are many successful digital inclusion models at state and community levels

Oregon needs to fund a comprehensive broadband and digital equity strategy

Community-specific broadband strategies are needed to prosper in the digital age 41

THANKS Oregon – She Flies With Her Own WingsChris TamarinJoe FranellRep. Pam MarshAdam HaasRebecca GibbonsVailey OehlkeDavid OlsonDave SabalaRobert GallardoGeoff DailySusan WaltersSusan CorbettSam PastrickJoe KnappShawn IrvineGeoff DailySheldon RenanJoanne HovisJames FallowsColin RhinesmithJames RyanLucas TurpinVince AdamsMike BurnettCindy GibbonRebecca BurrellDoug Dawson

Angela SeifertRoberto GallardoEd ParkerChris MitchellRebecca GibbonsThompson MorrisonDanna MacKenzieOATOAJulie OmelchuckBrant WolfMichael HannaColleen DixonDrew PizzolatoLeif HansenDan BartholomewRich BaderBryan AdamsBryan ConwayMatthew HiefieldBlair LevinMatt TimberlakeBen BurnettLaura BellKarl Mundorf 42

Resources

Everyone in this room!

National Digital Inclusion Alliance - NDIA

Gigabit Cities – Technical strategies for facilitating public or private broadband construction in your community.

Coalition for Local Internet Choice (CLIC)

The Next Generation Network Connectivity Handbook

Next Century Cities

NATOA/OATOA

Oregon Broadband Advisory Council

43