Addressing the Digital Divide

Coping With the Digital Divide

Having access to the internet has become a matter of availability and affordability. Each poses big challenges, especially in a state with as much rural real estate as Michigan, though data shows the digital divide disproportionally affects students in both urban and rural districts. Sometimes, there’s just no room for the cost for broadband in a family’s budget, and few companies can afford to build infrastructure without the promise of a big customer base.

For years, businesses and organizations have been rapidly moving toward using websites and social media as the primary vehicles for communicating with clients, but it took the pandemic to demonstrate just how significant a lack of connectivity can be for families.

The impact on those living in the vast stretches and odd pockets of internet deserts across the state was life-altering. Even when schools sent computers home with students whose classes had transitioned to online, those without access could not do virtual learning. Employees directed to work from home could not connect electronically to the computer systems they worked with every day. Families could not access information about organizations providing the resources they so desperately needed. And seniors who were not tech-savvy to begin with had to rely on younger relatives and friends to help them search out and apply for help. Or they simply went without.

“We have learned that in order to survive, not only do we need a roof and food, we need gas and electric and water, and now we need access to the internet,” says Melinda Johnson, Blue Water Community Action. “It is an essential utility.”

Melinda recalls what it meant to 44 families when a grant from the Bureau of Community Action and Economic Opportunity made it possible for her agency to provide each family with one year of internet service plus a device, and instruction books.

“It was a blessing.” she says. “A huge blessing.”

After getting families set up with service, they enrolled them into a program designated for families with low incomes. Most families didn’t know that one of the internet companies offered a program for just $10 a month.

Kerry Baughman is still surprised at how quickly Northwest Michigan Community Action Agency was able to pivot to remote work, but not without issues. The agency tapped out its technology resources, and in the middle of COVID, it was hacked with ransom ware. It took six months to work through the problems with the insurance companies and to implement new procedures and protocols.

The need for more technology for staff at Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency was immediately followed by the need to provide training for them. One of the benefits of being in an urban area is better access to the internet.

“We have program for grandparents raising grandchildren which enabled case managers to help grandparents with the technology needs for the children.” says Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency director Susan Harding. “We created a package with our provider that included the technology they needed with very little setup. When we put it in the home, they had access.”

To combat the problem on a large scale, federal and state officials are taking steps such as subsidizing broadband providers to encourage private investment in underserved areas. In October 2020, Governor Whitmer announced $12.7 million in grants to internet providers in Michigan that are expected to extend access to more than 10,900 households, businesses and organizations.

Last December, the Federal Communications Commission committed $9.2 billion to internet providers nationally, including $363 million that will expand service into most Michigan counties.

It will take a few years for the project to be completed, but at least it is in the works. In the meantime, Lisa Bolen, Northeast Michigan Community Service Agency director is taking advantage now of the perks this technology offers. For example, the agency coordinated an online presentation by Luke Schaefer who co-authored a book with Kathryn Edin titled “$2.00 a Day: Living on Almost Nothing in America.” More than 350 people listened in.

Some innovative public-private partnerships have been formed. For example, Northern Michigan University received federal approval to extend its high-speed Long-Term Evolution (LTE) wireless network into communities across the Upper Peninsula and now provides internet access to roughly 18,000 homes, including 7,500 paying customers who have no direct connection to the college.

The latest federal COVID-19 relief package included $3.2 billion for an Emergency Broadband Benefit that will provide a discount of up to $50 per month toward broadband service for eligible households and up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. Eligible households can also receive a one-time discount of up to $100 to purchase a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if they contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price. The benefit is limited to one monthly service discount and one device discount per household.

For more information about the Emergency Broadband Benefit program contact your preferred participating broadband provider or go to GetEmergencyBroadband.org to apply online. You can also call 833-511-0311 to get a mail-in application.