February 2021

Providing Free and Affordable Broadband for All in Illinois

In order to achieve the goal of universal broadband for everyone in Illinois, broadband must be available and affordable. However, home broadband service is out of reach for many low-income households in Illinois that are unable to afford subscriptions. Therefore, efforts to promote universal broadband should include programs that offer access to affordable broadband service, as well as access to low-cost digital devices and digital literacy training, which have been highlighted as necessary to promote digital inclusion and meaningful broadband adoption.

What online school? Thousands of students still can't access classes over the internet

Since schools shut down in spring, districts have scrambled to distribute laptops and internet so students can engage in schooling from home. But almost a year later, with no end in sight for virtual learning, millions of students still lack reliably fast internet or a working computer — the basic tools to participate in live lessons from home. The digital divide is complicated to solve. The cost of broadband is out of reach for many families.

Texas needs a broadband office to address digital divide for students and families, advocates say

Schools around Texas regularly dispatch internet-equipped buses to areas of their community with the lowest rates of online connectivity. Others extended Wi-Fi into parking lots.