PHILADELPHIA, Penn., March 8, 2010 – There is a persistent digital divide among low-income individuals, households, and communities throughout the US, as it relates to “always on” high-speed Internet access in homes. Over 100 million individuals representing over 40 million households do not use broadband because they cannot access it, cannot afford it, do not know how to use it, or are not aware of its benefits.

LAKE FOREST, Ill., January 11, 2010 – Last July when the Round 1 of Broadband Technologies Opportunity Program was announced, Don Samuelson suggested that public housing authorities across the country ought to be applying to BTOP for financial assistance to promote the use of the Internet by their senior residents:

“Every public housing authority in the United States should apply for stimulus funding from the National Telecommunications and Information Agency to set up a program to promote the benefits and use of the Internet for its senior housing residents. The goal should be to make the case for the practical benefits of broadband and the Internet sufficiently compelling so that seniors would want a computer and Internet connection in their individual units. The use of the Internet should be as valuable as a TV or a phone. This is a ‘value proposition’ that remains to be made. ”

It appears that no one followed the suggestion. There were no sustainable adoption proposals in the first round of BTOP for senior housing. We’ve since updated our analysis and refined our thinking.

December 15, 2009 – The value of universal access to broadband was discussed at an occasionally tense Federal Communications Commission field hearing in Memphis on Monday night. The hearing was intended to focus on whether broadband services are being deployed in a way that allows all Americans to benefit, though it also addressed why internet access is necessary.

“I believe that universal access to broadband needs to be seen as a civil right,” said FCC commissioner Mignon Clyburn. “I don’t think you can look at it in any other way.”

The American Library Association on Wednesday submitted comments (PDF) to the Federal Communications Commission addressing broadband adoption. The ALA filed the comments in response to the FCC’s call for input about adoption as it relates to the National Broadband Plan.

WASHINGTON, December 2, 2009 – The director of the Federal Communication Commission’s task force dealing with broadband adoption and usage will give the keynote remarks at the Broadband Breakfast Club on Tuesday, December 8, 2009. Registration for the program, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., is available here.

Brian David, who is the Adoption and Usage Director for the FCC’s Omnibus Broadband Initiative, will offer remarks kicking off December’s discussion, which is “Setting the Table for the National Broadband Plan: Bridging the Digital Divide.”

With so much activity happening in the past 24 hours on the broadband adoption front – the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s new grant to the American Library Association, and the NCTA’s “Adoption Plus” program – there’s never been a better time to discuss the subject.

The National Cable Telecommunications Association and Kyle McSlarrow must be commended for their creation, in partnership with both public and private sectors, the Adoption Plus (A+) Program, “a comprehensive pilot program to promote broadband adoption in low-income households with middle school-aged children”. The aforesaid program is the kind of cutting-edge solution to Broadband Adoption that [...]

It goes without saying that the FCC has a daunting task of rule making when it comes to filling the needs of Broadband Access for Americans in 2010. Therefore it comes to mind, when the Federal Agency is through taking comments on Net Neutrality, The Universal Service Fund, Broadband Adoption, Broadband Access, and Spectrum Allocation, [...]

The FCC released five significant barriers associated with the adoption of Broadband within the U.S. which is part of the National Broadband Plan scheduled for a Feb 17, 2010 submittal to Congress. The perceived barriers were broad ranging and simplistic in their association to various deterrents to both access and use of this medium.
Affordability of service
Affordability [...]

WASHINGTON, November 23, 2009 – Declaring that its prior mission had been accomplished, on Thursday the Alliance for Public Technology rebranded itself as the National Broadband Research Center, a new organization charged with carrying the banner for broadband adoption.

When the Alliance for Public Technology was founded twenty years ago, its members saw themselves as leaders in the call for equal access to technology. Now, “the goal of universal access is not really new,” said Kenneth Peres, president of the board of directors, and an economist for the Communications Workers of America.

WASHINGTON, November 22, 2009 – In unanimous 5-0 decision, the commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission voted Wednesday to standardize the application process for tower siting requests.

Advocates of the move said that the action marked another step by the agency to speed adoption of broadband in the United States. For example, FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell said, “We are promoting broadband by removing roadblocks to its development.”