FCC unveils plan to provide broadband to the poor. The Federal Communications Commission has released information regarding a new strategy to increase broadband proliferation amongst low-income families.
The commission has labeled the initiative "Connect to Compete" and has billed it as the largest effort ever to shrink the digital divide by offering low-cost Internet and computers to qualifying families. Taking some pointers from Comcast's Internet Essentials plan earlier this year, the FCC intends to get more telecommunications companies on board with a similar program. Companies participating in Connect to Compete will be offering broadband for $9.99/mo and provide the option of a desktop or laptop computer for $150. Participating companies are expected to include Comcast, Charter, Time Warner Cable, Cox and most other major cable providers. U.S. Census finds ongoing disparities in broadband access. The U.S.
Constitution mandates that the government conduct a census of its citizens every ten years, and, in addition to having major political significance, the U.S. census is also one of the broadest looks at a variety of demographic information across the U.S. population. In 2010, one of those things in Internet access and broadband adoption, and a new report (PDF) from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration and the Economics and Statistics finds that broadband adoption is growing significantly across the United States, but income, education, and other socio-economic factors seem to play a big role in Americans’ Internet access—highlighting the so-called “digital divide.” Broadband Map - Broadband Availability Across Demographic Characteristics - National Broadband Map.