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Metropolitan Area Planning Council is a regional planning agency promoting smart growth and regional collaboration for the Metro Boston area.
An Adequate
Device
Literacy
Connection
Three Determining Factors of Digital Access
How many of your neighbors in Gateway Cities are not connected to Broadband Internet?
How many of your neighbors in Gateway Cities are not connected to Broadband Internet?
?
Of households in Gateway Cities Don't have an internet subscription
Percent_Households_No_Internet 2019 ACS
16.6%
Note: Percentage of households in non Gateway MA cities that don't have an internet subscription: 8.9%
How many households in Gateway Cities are not connected to Broadband Internet?
How many households in Gateway Cities are not connected to Broadband Internet?
Of households in Gateway Cities Don't have an internet subscription
What % of those with internet experience broadband speed?
Percent_Households_No_Internet 2019 ACS
16.6%
?
Federal Communications Commission's (FCC) Broadband Definition: Speed of 25 megabits per second for downloading and 3 megabits per second for uploading.
How many of your neighbors in Gateway Cities are not connected to Broadband Internet?
35%
Don't have access a broadband internet subscription
63%
Of those with a subscription. When tested did not experience broadband level speedsÂ
Microsoft Speed Data
How many households in Gateway Cities don't experience
Broadband Internet?
21.8%
Of households in Gateway Cities, as observed by Microsoft, don't meet the benchmark for broadband speed.
2019 ACS, Microsoft Broadband Availability Data
2019 ACS, Microsoft Broadband Availability Data
Percentage of households not accessing broadband speeds
While private internet service providers report to the FCC that they cover 95%+ of the state, that does not accurately reflect the % of people that can afford the internet nor reliable get broadband speeds
There isn't universal connection to fast, reliable, broadband internet in Gateway Cities.
What can municipalities do about it?
Digital access plans can lay out many action items. One place to start is to learn where the internet physically is in your city or town. Based on a section of each municipalities cable franchise agreement, cities and towns have a right to see the private networks operating in the city. If investments are to be made at a city, regional, or state level, we must first identify where fiber connections are and are not.
Coverage data from FCC form 477
There isn't universal connection to fast, reliable,Broadband Internet
What can municipalities do about it?
ADDITIONAL SLIDES FOR CONTEXT TO SOLUTIONS
What can municipalities do about it?
Fund Internet for Affordable HousingÂ
Coordinate Capital Plans to Expand Municipal FiberÂ
Establish a Digital Equity Trust FundÂ
Permit Wiring Retrofits and Approaite Private InvestmentÂ
Develop a Digital Equity and Access Plan
Leverage Cable Franchise Agreement to Map the InternetÂ
Have municipal legal request commercial fiber and able maps. Based on a section of each municipalities cable franchise agreement, cities and towns have a right to see the private networks operating in the city. If investments are to be made at a city, regional, or state level, we must first identify where fiber connections are and are not.
Coordinate an "Open Access" Network
Connect Residents w/ Subsidy Programs
Residents may lack basic computing devices that allow them to effectively work remotely, leverage telehealth, or fully participate in online acitvites.
What can municipalities do about it?
How many of your neighbors in Gateway Cities have access to a desktop or laptop?
What can municipalities do about it?
Support School and Library Programs
Establish Corporate Computer / Device Repurposing Program
Develop a Digital Equity and Access Plan
Establish a Digital Equity Trust FundÂ
Connect Residents w/ Subsidy Programs (Like EBB)
Residents may lack the skills to navigate a computer or the internet?
What can municipalities do about it?
What can municipalities do about it?
Support School and Library Training Programs
Host or Fund Digital Navigators / Digital Steward Programs
Develop a Digital Equity and Access Plan
Host or Fund Tech Goes Home Training Programs
Support Community Networks that Develop Local Skills
Gateway Cites Digital Access
By MAPC
