"This book presents the first conclusive evidence that broadband adoption in the population is linked to economic growth and prosperity, in counties and metros, whether urban, suburban or rural. Public policy, including the National Broadband Plan (FCC 2010), has been premised on the expectation that broadband use fosters economic opportunity for communities. The quote from Commissioner Rosenworcel at the beginning of this chapter demonstrates the significance of broadband for public policy, beyond a utility to be regulated. Until now, however, evidence for assumptions about the benefits of broadband adoption has been lacking because of a scarcity of reliable data over time. Measuring broadband subscriptions rather than deployment is critical because of what has been called the "subscription gap" (Tomer and Shivaram 2017) - the difference between broadband availability and the reality of those who can afford it and have the ability to use it. In this chapter we review the findings throughout the book, discuss place-based barriers in communities, and implications for public policy"--
Digital information drives participation in politics, the economy, and society. Yet great disparities exist as to which communities have access to the internet. In 2017, only half of residents of formerly industrial Flint, Michigan, had broadband or satellite internet at home, while over 90
percent of those in thriving Sunnyvale, California, in Silicon Valley, were connected. More recently, Covid-19 laid bare these persistent digital divides in both urban and rural communities, illustrating that broadband use is a fundamental resource for the future of opportunity in communities.
While previous studies have examined the impacts of broadband infrastructure, they have indicated little about the extent to which local populations can afford and use the technology. Moreover, there has been limited scientific evidence on how broadband adoption matters for collective benefits.
Including new data on broadband subscriptions from 2000-2017, and comprehensive analysis for U.S. states, counties, metros, cities, and neighborhoods, Choosing the Future argues that broadband use in the population is a form of digital human capital that benefits communities as well as individuals.
Broadband has a causal impact across all types of communities--for economic prosperity, growth, income, employment, and policy innovation. Yet there are urban neighborhoods and rural counties where as little as one-quarter of the population has a broadband subscription, even when mobile is included.
As we build "smart" cities and communities, as economies and jobs continue to experience rapid change, and as more information and services migrate online, it is communities with widespread broadband use that will be best positioned for inclusive innovation, with the digital human capital to thrive.
