In Oklahoma today President Obama along with The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) will announce ConnectHome, a new initiative with communities, the private sector, and federal government to expand high speed broadband to more families across the country. ConnectHome is designed to shrink the oft-referred to digital divide –the gap between those who experience the social and economic benefits from Internet use, and those who do not. According to the White House, the pilot program is launching in twenty-seven cities and one tribal nation and will initially reach over 275,000 low-income households – and nearly 200,000 children – with the support they need to access the Internet at home.
As the president has pointed out many times, an Internet connection is more than a luxury – we use it to get an education, to communicate with friends and family, to find a job or start a business, and of course, for entertainment. While broadband service is now available to most Americans, we also know that too many families remain unconnected to this important network.
“The cable industry is making significant progress in closing the digital divide”
The cable industry has long been committed to closing digital divide by promoting the benefits of broadband, encouraging families to connect, and like the program announced today, offer support to families who are working to overcome the barriers they may face. Through a variety of existing programs including ongoing partnerships with groups like Connect2Compete and Comcast’s Internet Essentials, the cable industry is making significant progress in closing the digital divide. These programs, along with numerous other industry initiatives, have invested $200 million in broadband adoption programs, have connected 450,000 families, and have delivered broadband to 30,000 schools.
Following that trend, the ConnectHome initiative similarly draws on the knowledge and expertise of cable leaders in extending adoption programs to HUD housing in key cities. Their commitments include Suddenlink Communications and Vyve Broadband, which will work together to ensure that over 425 of Choctaw’s public housing residents have access to low-cost, high-speed Internet. And Cox Communication in Macon, Meriden, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans, will offer home Internet service for $9.95 per month to eligible K-12 families residing in public housing authorities.
While we recognize that these are all pieces in an ever-expanding puzzle, we also know that every connection counts. As an industry that has long championed the need to break down barriers to broadband adoption, we commend President Obama and Secretary Castro for crafting this initiative and for continuing to educate about the value of broadband and to make it more affordable and available for those who most need it.