How communities can bridge the digital divide

With two-thirds of its households lacking broadband access in 2019, Brownsville, Texas, ranked as one of the nation's "worst-connected cities," according to the National Digital Inclusion Alliance. The pandemic further exposed that deficit, with most of the city's workforce unable to work remotely.

Determined to address the problem, a new mayor and advocates leveraged pandemic recovery funds to establish a public-private partnership and develop a "middle-mile" network, key to enabling connections and fostering competition. The city's successful strategy is among the case studies featured in "Bridging the Digital Divide in the U.S. Planning Innovative State and Local Approaches," a new book edited and co-authored by Cornell researchers. They explain why many rural and disadvantaged urban areas remain "digital deserts" despite billions in federal subsidies promoting universal access, and share how community leaders have navigated policy and market challenges to meet their residents' needs.

"High-speed internet access is essential to everyday life, and key to broader social and economic inclusion," the editors write. "Universal broadband access has increasingly become a matter of public interest, and in the absence of market solutions, communities are leading the way."

The book's editors are Mildred Warner, M.S. '85, Ph.D. '97, professor of global development in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and of city and regional planning in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning; Natassia Bravo, Ph.D. '25; and Duxixi "Ada" Shen, M.R.P. '23. Additional Cornell contributors include Edward Guo '23, M.R.P. '25 and Ella Redmond '23, M.S. '25.

Warner, director of the Local Government Restructuring Lab, discussed the book with the Chronicle.

Question: You have firsthand experience living in a digital desert. How has that influenced your understanding of this issue?

Answer: Many people do not understand that there are people who live without access to internet, but between 24 million and 42 million Americans do. Lack of internet connectivity at home means you have to travel to libraries, stores, work or school to access the internet. That is inconvenient and costly, and increasingly it means you cannot participate as a full member of society.

Q: What factors have hindered connectivity in rural communities like yours, and in cities like Brownsville?

A: Money, market capture and lack of political will. Areas with limited demand or long distances are more difficult to serve and have been bypassed by the large internet service providers (ISPs). This includes many rural areas, low-income communities and populations like older adults. We need policy that recognizes the need for universal service, that encourages competition and supports local initiative.

Q: Based on your research, how do you recommend states and local communities overcome these barriers that have limited access for so many years?

A: Funding can help simulate supply and demand. Subsidies can support community initiative. More accurate data can help identify internet deserts. Policy can support local initiative and promote competition. We need a multi-level governance system in which federal and state policy support and strengthen local leadership, prioritize public values in infrastructure deployment, and enable interlocal cooperation between communities and local providers.

Q: To take one example, what did Brownsville do right?

A: They did their homework. Data on need and coverage helps make the case. Awareness of policy constraints and how to overcome them is key, especially in a state like Texas that places restrictions on municipal broadband. Private partners also help, but often the largest ISPs are not interested. This is where mission-driven ISPs are key partners, as in the case of Brownsville.

Q: What are some other places demonstrating innovative approaches?

A: Minnesotahas a flagship program that has supported hundreds of communities and serves as an example for other states. We also profile Coloradoand its focus on middle-mile networks. Mainehas led with Broadband Utility Districts. We also showcase exciting initiatives in indigenous communitiessuch as the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma where the challenges of distance, affordability and adoption are especially acute. The key is local leadershipwith supportive state and federal policy and mission-driven internet providers. Universal connectivity is possible. And it is past time the U.S. addressed its digital divide.

Q: With federal policies in flux, what is the current outlook for communities that lack broadband?

A: There are three keys to digital inclusion: access (building the network), affordability (to encourage people to subscribe) and adoption (training and support to use the new technology). When all three are covered, then you can integrate internet into everyday life and work. While Congress allowed the Biden administration's Affordable Connectivity Program to expire in spring 2024, the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program, funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is a $42.45 billion federal grant program that aims to connect every American to high-speed internet. Recently, the Trump administration decided to allow satellite service (a slower technology), which may limit the long-term potential of the infrastructure, but the funding is still there to help states and localities move forward. Our book showcases how innovative state and local planning helps communities bridge the digital divide.