John Horrigan

John Horrigan is a national expert on technology adoption, digital inclusion, and evaluating the outcomes and impacts of programs designed to promote communications technology adoption and use. He served at the Federal Communications Commission as a member of the leadership team for the development of the National Broadband Plan. Additionally, as an Associate Director for Research at the Pew Research Center, he focused on libraries and their impact on communities, as well as technology adoption patterns and open government data. 

For the newly published Reimagining Lifeline: Universal Service, Affordability, and Connectivity, Horrigan led Benton’s research on the Federal Communications Commission’s Lifeline program which provides discounted phone and internet service for low-income Americans. He is a regular contributor to Benton’s Digital Beat blog.

John's Publications

Broadband Benefit Programs are Helping to Close the Digital Divide

Reimagining Lifeline: Universal Service, Affordability, and Connectivity

Adapting Jobs Programs for Today and Tomorrow

Digital Skills and Job Training: Community-driven initiatives are leading the way in preparing Americans for today’s jobs

John's articles

Benton Institute Updates Affordable Connectivity Program Enrollment Performance Tool

The Affordable Connectivity Program and Rural America

ACP Enrollment Performance Tool: Understanding Factors that Play a Role in ACP Enrollment

The Benton Institute ACP Performance Tool

Half of ACP-Eligible Households Still Unaware of the Program

It’s No Time to Disarm in the War Against the Digital Divide

Affordable Connectivity Plan Enrollment and Digital Equity Planning

Diving into Digital Equity: Lessons from Focus Groups

Three Data Points to Help Plan for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Broadband Funding

What Policymakers Should Know About Lifeline Participants

The Lifeline Market

It is Time to Reimagine Lifeline

An Evolving Level of Service

Growth in Emergency Broadband Benefit Enrollment since June has been in Large Cities and Places with Low Broadband Adoption

Action Needed Now to Preserve an Essential Lifeline During the Pandemic

Philadelphia and the Digital Divide: Substantial Progress Since 2019, but Work Still to be Done

The Emergency Broadband Benefit has thus far enrolled just 1 in 12 eligible households, but places with low broadband adoption rates show better results

Focusing on Affordability

States Look at the Data as They Try to Address the Digital Divide

ITIF’s Analysis of Broadband and Affordability Misses the Mark

Providing Free and Affordable Broadband for All in Illinois

Digital Tools & Learning

Statement to the Reimagine New York State Commission

Creating Opportunity: New Jobs Require Digital Skills and Broadband

The National Broadband Plan at 10: A decade of lessons on increasing home broadband adoption

Broadband and Cities

How Do We Measure Broadband?

What Does the FCC’s Broadband Deployment Report Tell Us About the Digital Divide?

Digital Skills and Job Training: Community-driven initiatives are leading the way in preparing Americans for today’s jobs

Touch, Trust, and Tech

Experimentation is the Watchword as Communities Seek to Close Adoption Gaps

Digital Inclusion and Equity: Why Now