New blog topics can be seen at Wireless Philadelphia! http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog.cfm 95 - 2010-06-09 00:00:00 CEO Greg Goldman has joined the National Telecommunications and Information Administration on a temporary basis to assist with the second round of the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, which aims to expand internet service to unserved and underserved areas, increase public computer center capacity, and encourage adoption of broadband by disadvantaged populations. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/95.htm 94 - 2010-03-16 00:00:00 Today the Federal Communications Commission released the country's first National Broadband Plan, called for in last year's Stimulus bill. The plan is intended to "ensure every American has access to broadband capability."Based on years of experience as on-the-ground practitioners in the broadband adoption and utilization field, DIG is extremely pleased with the Commission's recommendations in this area. The Plan correctly identifies multiple barriers to adopting broadband service, and accordingly proposes comprehensive solutions. These proposals reflect the way DIG has approached our mission and confirm what has been clear to us throughout the National Broadband Plan proceeding: the Adoption and Usage Team has considered the issue of broadband adoption with a level of seriousness and sophistication that is exemplary by any standard.We were also impressed with the FCC's open and inclusive process. The Commission conducted countless public workshops and solicited comments in response to dozens of Public Notices. The public input gathered throughout the process has clearly helped shape the Plan's recommendations, and is cited heavily in each chapter's endnotes. We are proud to note that, in the Adoption and Utilization section, DIG's comments about the importance of relevant uses of broadband as drivers of adoption and ongoing use are cited. DIG participated in two public workshops at the FCC, filed comments in response to the Public Notice on adoption issues, and contributed a "Framework for Understanding and Evaluating the Broadband Adoption Process" to the record.The extent and quality of public participation is echoed in the Plan's Preface:"This is America's plan, written by and for Americans. It's now time to act and invest in our nation's future by bringing the power and promise of broadband to us all."Hear, hear to that.You can read the National Broadband Plan here. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/94.htm 93 - 2010-03-11 00:00:00 DIG's and Econsult Corporation's recent report, The Economic Impact of Digital Exclusion, is highlighted on Blogband, the FCC's official blog for the National Broadband Plan. The report was funded by the Ford Foundation. Click here to see the FCC's post. http://www.wirelessphiladelphia.org/blog_detail.cfm/blog/93.htm 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, which was funded by the Ford Foundation, 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