The Problem(s) of Broadband in America

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A common misunderstanding of exactly where the digital divide is located has led to faulty assumptions about where investments need to be made, as if broadband access is a challenge confined primarily in rural America. The actual shape of the problem is different than many elected officials realize; a lack of fast, reliable, and affordable broadband is also a major problem in urban and suburban America. America’s connectivity crisis—created by uncompetitive market conditions—is actually a three-fold challenge: access, affordability and adoption. Effective legislative efforts to bridge the digital divide must tackle all three challenges. Anything less risks depriving millions of Americans access to equal opportunity in an interconnected global economy.


Policy Brief: The Problem(s) of Broadband in America