We have a problem to solve
The digital divide was further highlighted by the inability for some to schedule online vaccination appointments, a task important for the individual and all of society as we reached for herd immunity. As stated in NSTAC’s Letter to the President on Communications Resiliency, October 6, 2020:
"This event reinforces the need to rapidly address the digital equity and digital inclusion issues facing the Nation to increase national security and resilience."
The IEEE CQR is leading
The IEEE Communication Society’s Technical Committee for Communications Quality and Reliability (CQR) has been focused on the issue of the digital divide since the start of the pandemic. On May 13 this year, the CQR hosted a virtual workshop to address technical and societal solutions to provide the underserved with quality, reliable, and secure broadband access. This event was highlighted by keynotes from Dan Sjöblom, Director General of the Swedish Post and Telecom Authority (PTS), and Edward “Smitty” Smith, II, DLA Piper, NUL Senior Director for the Lewis Latimer Plan, and former FCC official, that tied the technology discussion to impactful policies designed to close the digital divide.
Dan Sjöblom keynote
Edward “Smitty” Smith keynote
A panel discussion, led by Ericsson’s Kelly Krick, provided lively discussion between Dr. Eric Burger, Georgetown University and former FCC CTO, Bhushan Joshi, Ericsson, and Edward Smith II. The panel raised key points on the digital divide - issues ranging from coverage, access, and affordability, to skills in using the technology. These are issues we must consider as we convert technology into policy. Click for the full panel discussion..
Connectivity alone is not enough
It is not enough to simply have broadband internet access. It must have quality, be reliable, and provide secure access to ensure businesses in underserved areas can thrive online and family members at home can take their part in society as they concurrently WFH and LFH.
- Quality access is sufficient bandwidth from the home through exchange points to the internet.
- Reliable access provides connectivity when needed.
- Secure access ensures that the underserved are not exploited by criminal actors.
Quality, reliable, and secure access for the underserved population necessitates use of proven technologies. The underserved are equal participants in society and should not be treated as test cases for unproven technologies. Another important part of the discussion is the definition of “broadband”. In the US the current FCC definition for broadband has been 25Mbps download / 3Mbps upload. As more of us are videoconferencing, there have been justified questions about whether 3Mbps upload is sufficient for a small business or family.
Building towards meaningful policy
Mr. Smith shared some foundational statistics to establish the scope of the digital divide problem in the U.S.: there are 93 million unconnected, of which 70 million are non-rural in households that are mostly earning below $50K per year. Access avails little if a family cannot afford broadband speeds or devices. Subsidies can be a powerful tool to solve the affordability component of the problem, but sufficient broadband speed also needs to be provided.
Digital Divide policy needs to consider the different types of personal user profiles so the problem is solved in the right way with consideration of personal needs and expectations. This will ensure the best fit technology for each. As Dr. Eric Burger explained, there are four types of people without access, showing there is not a one size fits all solution. Those who:
- cannot reach internet access
- can reach internet access, but cannot afford internet access
- can reach internet access, but insufficient bandwidth for the family
- choose to live off the grid. It is US policy to let them.
In the U.S., the goal to bridge the digital divide has bipartisan support. President Joseph Biden’s infrastructure plan seeks to bridge the digital divide by bringing affordable, reliable, high-speed broadband to every American through an investment of USD 100 billion. The Nation Urban League (NUL) has also proposed a digital divide solution through the Lewis Latimer Plan. This plan calls for deployment of broadband networks to every household with steps to improve affordability and delivery of services while including underserved communities in the development of the digital economy. Edward Smith II added, “If adopted, the Latimer Plan would improve how our country delivers healthcare, education, job training, and other government services in ways that will benefit all Americans, especially those in marginalized communities.” [2]
5G and FWA: -A solution available today
Fixed Broadband, 5G fixed wireless access (FWA), and Satellite offer technological solutions for bridging the digital divide. Sweden’s broadband initiative for 2023, as explained by Mr. Dan Sjoblom, has no technology preference and the market will determine if fiber to the home or 5G FWA is deployed in each specific municipality. A technical presentation from Verizon’s Mary Nolan highlighted that the advantages of 5G FWA are twofold, bandwidth up to 500Mbps and fast time to market. 5G FWA can now be quickly installed and operational within weeks, while other technologies can take months or years. During COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, Ericsson deployed 5G FWA in rural Vermont in a couple of weeks to enable students to LFH with speeds ranging from 100Mbps to 300Mbps. As presented by Dr. Mallik Tatipamula of Ericsson, 5G Network Slicing can be deployed for underserved use cases, particularly in urban areas, to ensure end-to-end network resources are available to WFH and LFH when needed. Broadband access and bandwidth can be addressed today – cost effective delivery of services and upskilling of users will follow.
The additional benefit of deploying a solution based on cellular technology is that it can also bring the benefits of mobility to rural areas. This includes increased road safety and emergency response, new connected agriculture capabilities, connecting green energy production such as wind turbines, and increased connectivity for mobile devices in recreational areas.
Become part of the solution - Join us in November
Ericsson believes in an intelligent, sustainable, connected world with digital inclusion and is proud to work with the IEEE Communications Society to solve the digital divide. Bridging the digital divide requires support from multiple stakeholders. With CQR’s lead, the IEEE Communication Society (ComSoc) has decided to advance the discussion further by hosting a day-long workshop in Washington DC this November that will bring together policymakers and technologists with the goal to create a sustainable plan that produces real actions and drives results so that the word “underserved” is removed from daily lexicon. This will be a collaborative workshop with a hybrid format so face-to-face and remote speakers can contribute. Owners will be identified, action items will be assigned, and measurable performance metrics will be decided to drive resolution. More details for this event will be developing over the next few weeks. Please join us. We look forward to your participation.
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