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

Eleven years ago Congress instructed the Federal Communications Commission to develop a national broadband plan to ensure that all Americans had affordable access to broadband and that America utilized broadband to advance a number of national purposes, including health care, education, job training, public safety, and economic growth. Ten years ago this week, the team delivered that plan. On the occasion of the anniversary, team alumni -- along with Benton and a number of other public interest groups -- had planned to get together to discuss what should be the agenda for a plan for the next decade and what lessons from the plan, and the process that created it, would be helpful as we look toward the future. Due to the coronavirus -- a pandemic that is demonstrating both the stengths and weaknesses of U.S. broadband -- that event has been postponed. But over the coming days and weeks, we will be publishing notes from a number of people who were scheduled to speak at the event.

The 10th Anniversary of the National Broadband Plan offers a chance to reflect on the progress made in the past 10 years and lessons for the future. My focus will be on the progress in addressing the digital divide – increasing the number of Americans with broadband at home. The National Broadband Plan’s guiding principles for broadband adoption (see page 171) still resonate:

  • Focus on the barriers to adoption: Successful efforts address multiple barriers to adoption simultaneously.

  • Focus on broadband in the home: That is critical to maximizing utilization, without neglecting libraries and other community anchors that offer connectivity.

  • Promote connectivity across an entire community: This takes advantage of network effects that arise when people communicate with those nearby.

  • Plan for changes in technology: This ensures that community technology programs serve clients with up-to-date technology and applications.

These principles hold up well after 10 years and have helped shape a digital inclusion ecosystem that consists of surviving Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP) projects, private sector initiatives, and those supported by cities and foundations. We have seen steady progress. The survey conducted for the National Broadband Plan found that 65% of Americans had broadband at home. That was mainly a measure of wireline broadband adoption in homes. Today, 69.6% have a wireline broadband subscription according to the American Community Survey (ACS). Wireless access on a smartphone has had a large impact since 2010 on the adoption landscape. When cellular data plans are included, 85.1% of Americans have access to broadband of any type.

Now smartphones have limits as online pathways and research shows that vividly when looking at high school students and homework, as well as job-seekers who are “smartphone only.” With the COVID-19 virus driving education online, professors are aware that not all students have adequate online access away from school, especially those dependent on data-limited smartphone plans. There is a need, therefore, to continue to make progress in home wireline broadband adoption. It is the big pipe off of which households’ internet usage operates. What has 10 years of experience in the field of digital inclusion taught us? Four lessons stand out.

Read more here.

Chelsea McCullough