Together, Broadband Deployment and Digital Inclusion Programs Support Increased Internet Adoption

Research shows that access to broadband correlates with greater economic opportunity and workforce participation as well as improved health outcomes. But the mere presence of networks is not enough—to ensure that people can benefit from new connections and fully participate in the digital economy, households need to use the service. It is therefore essential to support the adoption of broadband, and now, two government initiatives are working together to help.

The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act created several programs to address different components of the digital divide, the gulf between those who have ready access to the internet and devices, and the skills to use them, and those who do not. One such initiative, the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program, is primarily focused on deploying affordable broadband connections to unserved and underserved locations. Another, the Digital Equity Act (DEA), includes programs designed so that “all people and communities have the skills, technology, and capacity needed to reap the full benefits of our digital economy.”

While these are separate programs, their efforts are complementary in addressing Congress’ conclusion that “the persistent ‘digital divide’ … is a barrier to the economic competitiveness of the United States” and access to essential services, such as health care and education. DEA will address barriers to technology access and use and ensure that people can use new and upgraded BEAD-funded networks once they are built. In addition, pairing infrastructure buildouts with digital inclusion programs that support new skills and affordable access can ensure that these taxpayer-funded network investments have maximum impact.

BEAD and DEA are complementary

Households without access to broadband are generally lower-income and live in areas that are more difficult and expensive to connect. Only 57% of households with incomes below $30,000 a year subscribe to home broadband, compared with 95% of those with annual incomes above $100,000. Likewise, adults living in rural areas are less likely to subscribe to high-speed internet at home than those in suburban and urban areas. Households without a high-speed connection are missing out on opportunities for employment, education, and telehealth, to name a few. This is why Congress created broadband deployment and digital inclusion programs to work in tandem.

The BEAD and DEA programs work toward the same goal of achieving universal access and adoption of broadband, and together they will provide multiple avenues for getting online. BEAD will expand high-speed internet access so that people can connect at home and, if funds allow, it also enables small businesses and anchor institutions (such as schools and libraries) to get online, promoting economic development and the availability of community resources. At the same time, DEA will support access outside the home, through state plans for public Wi-Fi and access in community anchor institutions and community tech hubs where people can go to get help with digital skills and accessing the internet. Community anchor institutions can help bridge these gaps by providing access points for those who are not yet connected and offering resources for people to learn digital skills and get help with devices.

These programs are designed to have a long-term impact and will support broader goals in health care, education, and economic development by helping people get online and access the resources they need to thrive in the modern digital economy. Research has shown that increasing broadband adoption among households, either urban or rural, that lack an internet connection can have billions of dollars of economic benefit annually. The programs work on parallel tracks, but when paired they will maximize resources available for both improving physical infrastructure and helping to provide the access and skills necessary to help more people get online.

BEAD and DEA are designed to avoid the pitfalls of past broadband programs that were less impactful than they could have been because of a failure to plan for long-term sustainability. For example, the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program was created in 2009 to increase broadband access and adoption rates, but research has found that high spending was not necessarily linked to increased broadband adoption.

The digital inclusion programming that DEA supports will ensure that BEAD network deployments have the greatest impact, because if people are not able to use these new networks, they won’t subscribe to them. Planned DEA activities can empower people to take full advantage of these new connections. Digital navigators—staff trained to help users access connections and devices and learn how to use them—and sign-up assistance programs can help people subscribe to BEAD-funded networks and equip them with internet-capable devices. And digital skills training and resources will help people learn how to gain the full benefits of an internet connection, including increased access to flexible education programs, telehealth visits with medical providers, and access to a wider array of job opportunities.

After meeting deployment goals, states may use any remaining BEAD funding for so-called “nondeployment activities,” such as implementing their digital equity plans. For the few states that meet this criteria, allowable uses of nondeployment funding include cybersecurity and digital safety measures, remote learning, telehealth, digital skills training, and broadband sign-up assistance. For example, Arkansas plans to establish the “Arkansas Connection Corps,” which will train high school students to teach digital skills in their communities. Hawaii has proposed providing support and increased connectivity for “community access hubs,” places such as public libraries where people can access digital skills trainings and other services like remote education and workforce development. And Maine plans to offer training that incorporates broadband modules in all levels of schooling to prepare students for the workforce with essential digital skills. These programs collectively demonstrate the symbiotic relationship between using BEAD to build new broadband networks and expanding the impact of connectivity through DEA.

Barriers remain

States have identified a number of barriers to implementing both programs. Some are unique to each. For example, BEAD faces labor and workforce shortages, supply chain issues, and regulatory challenges, while DEA challenges include a lack of digital skills and devices. Yet affordability is a challenge that crosses into both. Research has shown affordability to be a primary barrier to households accessing broadband, and the likelihood of households subscribing to a new service shapes an internet service provider’s (ISP’s) decision to expand or upgrade service. While BEAD and DEA both include requirements reflecting these facts, neither program was developed to address this issue directly, as neither can provide subsidies that decrease the monthly cost of internet access.

The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)—a monthly subsidy that states and ISPs were using to increase the adoption of existing networks, and which they planned to use to offset the costs of future networks—expired in June 2024. However, networks built using BEAD funding are still required to be affordable for middle-class households, and they must offer a low-cost service option for low-income households. For example, Montana plans to analyze FCC data to set a maximum benchmark price for low-cost plans. But some households will still struggle to pay any service cost. Both BEAD and DEA were established under the assumption that ACP would continue to assist eligible low-income households in paying for a monthly broadband subscription. States are still determining how to proceed, but research is clear that a long-term solution is needed to ensure that internet connections remain affordable, particularly for taxpayer-funded networks that serve low-income and other vulnerable populations.

Looking ahead

To support universal service, states are thinking about broadband access, affordability, and adoption concurrently and recognizing the importance of strong digital inclusion programs to ensure BEAD-funded projects are effective. Together these programs will support these goals by ensuring that households can connect to high-speed internet and also access digital inclusion resources and assistance. DEA efforts such as helping people improve their digital skills and access low-cost internet offers will ensure that they are prepared to subscribe to and benefit from new connections through BEAD, supporting the sustainability of these federal investments.

While states have laid out ambitious plans, many may not be able to reach all of their digital equity goals with the currently available funding. As states look to close the digital divide, universal access will require ongoing federal and state support.

Kelly Wert works on internet access in vulnerable communities for The Pew Charitable Trusts’ broadband access initiative.