New blog topics can be seen at Wireless Philadelphia! http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog.cfm 92 - 2010-03-08 00:00:00 Together with Econsult Corporation, we have produced an assessment of the economic impact of digital exclusion in the US. The report quantifies costs associated with the significant proportion of the population that lacks high-speed internet access at home, and estimates an annual cost to individuals, government and the nation of $55B. We have submitted the report to the Federal Communications Commission Friday as part of the record for the National Broadband Plan the agency is developing for submission to Congress on March 17.You can download it here.In the US, over 100 million individuals representing over 40 million households are unable to use high-speed internet, or broadband, because they cannot access it, cannot afford it, do not know how to use it, or are not aware of its benefits. This “digital divide” is costly not only for those who lack computer access and skills, but for businesses, government, and the nation as a whole.Our report develops a taxonomy of negative economic impacts associated with digital exclusion, articulates the mechanisms through which digital exclusion has adverse impacts, and qualitatively and quantitatively evaluates 11 categories of significant impact. For example, in the area of education, analysis focuses on increased earnings potential resulting from increased educational success made possible by broadband access. The estimate in the economic opportunity category accounts for increased job searching ability via the Internet, and greatly improved access to employment for the disabled, citing the vast proportion of companies that accept job applications online only. The report seeks to identify minimum likely levels of impact in each category. The estimates of all 11 categories of economic impact yield an aggregate estimate of the current cost of digital exclusion of over $55 billion per year.The cumulative figure does not directly account for a number of significant, albeit hard to quantify, considerations that are more diffuse in nature but are no less important. For example, the study notes but does not attempt to quantify the social and economic benefits of greater civic engagement, or the environmental impacts associated with the reductions in travel that result from online shopping. In these areas and more, as well as in those areas that were quantified, the report is intended to be the start of a conversation about the economic impact of digital exclusion. As such, it identifies aspects of the cost of digital exclusion that warrant further exploration and precision.We applaud the FCC for the outstanding work it has done in developing the National Broadband Plan. We truly hope that the Commission, and the broader community that has an interest in broadband adoption, will find this document and its findings useful in the coming weeks and months.In its National Broadband Plan, the FCC is expected to recommend approaches to bridging the digital divide. Findings in this study of the economic impact of digital exclusion suggest that such efforts can have significant economic benefits for individuals and the country. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/92.htm 91 - 2009-10-22 00:00:00 Digital Impact Group's broadband adoption program was recently cited as a national model as part of the National Broadband Plan proceeding. DIG was one of just two organizations nationwide to be cited by the FCC. The FCC's status report on the proceeding included a slide that highlights DIG's innovative service model and findings from an independent evaluation of our program, which you can view here.Addressing programmatic efforts to promote broadband adoption, Elise Kohn, Esq., Adoption Manager at the FCC, said:“I just want to walk through one (example) quickly to demonstrate how these principles can be incorporated into a community program. Digital Impact Group – or DIG – is a Philadelphia-area nonprofit organization that allows participants to earn what they call a TechPack, and a TechPack includes a new laptop, home broadband access, customized training, targeted content, and ongoing local support."So, for example, DIG may work with a local high school that serves vulnerable students and allow these students to earn a TechPack by achieving certain grade point averages or attendance benchmarks. So here you have an example of a program leveraging the school as the community institution, providing the students with comprehensive services, allowing them the home access, and offering them intense, in-person training."An early interim evaluation of results from a pilot program that DIG did – which began in 2008 – suggests that this program is serving the needs of its participants, so of the participants who responded to survey questions about their motivations for taking part in the pilot, 68.1% who wanted to learn how to research educational opportunities continued to use these materials for that purpose once the training ended – they continued to use it for at least once a week after the training ended. This is also true for 68.1% who wanted to learn how to find and apply for jobs online, and 68.8% of the participants who wanted to learn how to help their kids or other family members with homework."So while these results are preliminary, they're indicative of some of the types of outcomes that we will look for as we examine programs.”Thanks to Elise and everyone at the FCC for highlighting our work! http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/91.htm 90 - 2009-08-21 00:00:00 Greg Goldman, DIG's CEO, had the opportunity on Wednesday to speak at the FCC's Workshop on Programmatic Efforts to Increase Broadband Adoption and Usage. It was a great workshop showcasing many strong model programs for sustainable broadband adoption from across the country, with the goal of identifying best practices to be included in the National Broadband Strategy being developed by the FCC.Each panelist gave a brief presentation at the program's outset, and Greg's slides are accessible here. He focused on DIG's innovative model, key findings from an independent evaluation by the OMG Center for Collaborative Learning, and two pending applications to the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program that include DIG as a key partner.One excellent outcome at the Workshop was the emergence of a set of core principles that apply to these programs across-the-board. It is great to see that in such a new field, successful programs have so many common elements. These principles are:Services need to be comprehensive and include multiple elements;Programs should focus on household, not solely institutions;Services should be community-based, and should be tied to locations and institutions in which the target population already receives services;Programs must be intensive services - this work takes time and money; andA human element is absolutely essential, programs should not be strictly technology-based but should incorporate human training and support.You can access the Workshop agenda, panelist bios, presentation materials, and a recorded webcast here. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/90.htm 89 - 2009-05-15 00:00:00 As of May 15, 2009 Wireless Philadelphia begins doing business as Digital Impact Group. This new name better reflects our focus on bringing Internet access and all the opportunities it affords to economically disadvantaged households across the City. Over the next several weeks, we will be updating our website and other materials to reflect this transition.Ryan NicholsCommunications Officer http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/89.htm 88 - 2009-03-26 00:00:00 On May 15, 2009, Wireless Philadelphia began doing business as Digital Impact Group. This post remains in its original form for archival purposes.Please see Wanda Evans' wonderful Op-Ed about WP's Digital Inclusion program, which appears in today's Philadelphia Daily News. Ms. Evans is a participant in our joint program with Vision for EQuality, which has been generously sponsored by State Representative Dennis O'Brien.The program Ms. Evans describes is highly adaptable and well-positioned to be a national model for “broadband adoption” by low-income families, a major focus of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program contained in the federal stimulus.Click here to read the piece. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/88.htm 87 - 2009-03-20 00:00:00 On May 15, 2009, Wireless Philadelphia began doing business as Digital Impact Group. This post remains in its original form for archival purposes.Join WP and the American Cities Foundation's Project RISE as we celebrate local small businesses that are now digital and online for commerce. Click here to view the invite. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/87.htm 86 - 2009-03-17 00:00:00 On May 15, 2009, Wireless Philadelphia began doing business as Digital Impact Group. This post remains in its original form for archival purposes.Take a look at CEO Greg Goldman's Letter to the Editor that appeared in the March 14th edition of the Washington Post. Greg highlights several lessons we have learned in over two years of developing and implementing programs to help economically disadvantaged families permanently cross the digital divide. Specifically, Greg argues for programs that are conscious of the barriers to access, built on a "sweat equity" approach, and community-based.With major funding avaible in the stimulus for encouraging adoption of broadband service among low-income populations, WP's Digital Inclusion approach is a model program for expansion and replication.Click here to read Greg's letter. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/86.htm