Next Century Cities

Once a center for music production and automotive engineering, the City of Detroit has spent the last 10 years recovering from decades of depopulation, systemic divestment, and underdeveloped telecommunications infrastructure. Six years after it declared financial bankruptcy, municipal leaders, public school officials, and grassroots activists are all working to develop programs that will improve internet access and facilitate adoption for all residents. Detroit should continue to consult with local nonprofits to support neighborhood-based digital ambassador programs.

With approximately 200,000 residents, Huntsville is the second-largest city in Alabama. It houses the brainpower and imagination that fuels NASA’s space flight center and the US Army’s missile command. Research and engineering are an integral part of the City’s legacy. Long before they were known as a GIG City, residents and small businesses complained about expensive, unreliable internet connectivity. In this technology hub, broadband access is an expectation, much like access to clean water and electricity. However, today, broadband access is still unequal.

In the summer of 2020, the Hamilton County (TN) public school system – which encompasses the city of Chattanooga – announced it would be providing high-speed internet access to families with students on free or reduced lunch plans through a program called EdConnect. The service is funded through the next ten years, the school board says, meaning the free high-speed internet should well outlast the pandemic.

The State of Wisconsin has centered broadband mapping as a core issue in its efforts to expand access. For now, the onus has shifted to state and local governments to collect information on broadband access and adoption. COVID-19 demands accelerated those efforts, many of which were already underway in Wisconsin. 

Access to affordable broadband is crucial for a functioning 21st century democracy. As technology advances, many of our basic democratic values depend on robust connectivity. Broadband enhances civic engagement, participation in the democratic process, and a responsive government.

As anchors of the community, upgraded broadband infrastructure will help Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) serve the needs of unserved and underserved communities that are too often overlooked or ignored.