Council Post: How Crisis Reveals A Growing Digital Divide

Co-Founder and CEO at Common Networks.

Our current times are dictated by the invisible. For one, there is the continued threat of an airborne virus that can’t be seen by the human eye. But there also exists another, more neutral invisible force keeping people informed and connected: the internet. Using high-speed connectivity, we go to school, keep up with vital moment-to-moment news and access government resources. Without the internet, we wouldn’t be able to retain even the level of normalcy that we currently have. It’s the one constant during a time that is characterized by uncertainty. 

Being in the telecom space, I’ve long appreciated the quiet power of the internet. I’m excited to see the opportunities my daughter will have as a result of access to resources through a reliable internet source — experiences I never could have dreamed of as a child. This is true for many people throughout the world. 

I know thinking in-depth about the internet may not be everyone’s day-to-day, though. While we all consume and digest information online, we rarely think about where our internet comes from. Like our health, the people who have access to the internet sometimes take it for granted. We forget what a massive binding force it is until our router unexpectedly malfunctions or a cable line fails. During a time when the internet is in such high demand, with providers everywhere seeing spikes in usage, we might want to stop and think for a second about how sustainable it really is. Will the internet be able to keep feeding our high demand forever? What can we learn from the internet during COVID-19? Will the internet look the same once the pandemic is over? 

Pulling Back The Curtain

We’ve seen how important access is over the last few months. Nationwide updates, sometimes not available anywhere but online, dictate how people will be able to eat or pay their bills. It’s concerning that a massive number of people can’t tap into these resources. COVID-19 has exposed America’s gaping issues around lack of broadband coverage: Nearly 163 million people in the United States are relegated to slow, outdated internet access. How are they supposed to get their children to school or find out about a recent statewide ordinance affecting their rent? When we begin to look at the facts, we come to realize that about half our population is struggling to access online government aid, healthcare tools, virtual learning and more.

Even if you do have access to the internet, our speeds and capabilities are being tested right now. Distance learning means you need solid download and upload speeds, so if you’re unable to tap into that, you’re unable to join a class. The divide grows. 

If you do have enough bandwidth going to your home, not everyone has enough digital devices for each family member to do their work and schooling at the same time. A class over Zoom might glitch while a conference call is happening in the background. Again, the digital divide gets bigger. 

Similarly, Wi-Fi may not extend into every corner of a household. However, many of us (myself included) have been forced to create makeshift workspaces in odd nooks and crannies. I work in my attic or on my balcony, both of which are at risk of poor internet access. Just like people all over the world working from closets, basements or kitchens, I need to reinforce my connection. To do this, you need extenders and mesh systems, which can be expensive and intimidating for nontechnical folks. Once more, the digital divide expands. 

The internet is the greatest equalizer we have, and it can ensure everyone has access to the same information. But we need to make it accessible. This moment pulls back the curtain to expose a glaring lack of access for many, revealing a gap that will remain unfilled long after the curve is flattened. These deficits that are so clearly visible during the COVID-19 outbreak will remain true for many Americans in years to come if we don’t stop, assess and rethink the way the internet works today.

Opening The Door To Innovation

It’s exciting to see big internet providers like AT&T or Comcast take measures to make the internet more accessible. For instance, AT&T suspended broadband data caps, and Comcast (modestly) increased its service speeds during the outbreak. By removing barriers that cause slow, faulty connections, we can start to open the door to higher speeds for more people across America. 

With companies able to break down barriers, we can also start to see what a new and improved internet could look like: lower prices, better connections and more users online. Unfortunately, the telecommunications industry is historically slow to adapt, and innovation is steered by monoliths. But in seeing the small ways that these monopoly providers are acting now, we can begin to envision changes that could occur for the long term across the telecoms landscape. 

However, the momentary change makes me think: Why stop now? Why stop at minimized data caps or service speeds just during the pandemic? Why not push for more: no data caps, higher speeds, no hidden fees (such as taxes or bundled services) ever. Beginning to identify these potentials helps us see how we can push the door all the way open for everyone. Assessing the speed and price at which we get our internet is the first step to changing it. We need to identify the inherited elements from an old, outdated model that we can do without. By removing these seemingly small barriers, we make room for innovation. I believe in an internet that is affordable, adaptable and collaborative. I’m excited to see how we can all work together to build that for everyone. 

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