For the connected, access to the internet has become integral in the 21st century. Shopping online, digital banking, taking classes, and paying bills, in addition to various other things that can be done virtually, have made having accessibility to broadband more than a luxury. However, internet access remains out of reach for millions of people globally living in underserved (rural or remote) communities. This inevitably shuts them out of a world economy that could improve their quality of life.
While a world tragedy, the one thing that did come from the pandemic highlighted the major disparity in those who had access to broadband and those who did not. Two industries where this lack of access was really evident was in healthcare and education.
When remote platforms required school districts to move from physical classrooms to the online landscape, many underserved and low-income communities suffered from not having appropriate broadband connections. Forget having the devices because the students had substandard service. Many students are either not able to connect to the internet or have problems doing so.
These communities are not only in characteristically low-income or underserved communities of the inner city either. Many rural and remote communities in the United States and Canada did not have access to the internet, and in 2021, this is isolating. Worse yet, this isolation prevents these communities from accessing the same cultural, educational, and economic opportunities available to people who live in more connected areas.
This relevance is very apparent in Native American communities in New Mexico. In fact, one project Professor Morgan Vigil-Hayes of Northern Arizona University is spearheading involves providing the community and students with connectivity to support education initiatives and providing them educational content. The purpose is to get the community to understand the importance of connectivity to their lives. In providing digital content about the community, the hope is that the community will take ownership of digital representations of the Pueblo community.
Another area where access to internet connectivity has the potential to be a lifeline is in healthcare. According to an American Medical Association source, telehealth can save a woman living in rural community hours in having to drive to the nearest health center to pick up birth control pills. Also, telehealth can make it possible for someone who would otherwise skip an appointment because they could not afford to take off from work to see a physician virtually. However, none of this would be possible without a reliable internet connection.
Ultimately, this is about those in leadership positions making broadband accessible to every community in the country. Last year, the United States scored two in digital maturation, second behind Singapore, according to the Harvard Business Review. The study found that countries that had been very successful at digitizing their economy accomplished several objectives.
One of these priorities was that the country provided fast, universal, fiber optic, and mobile broadband accessibility. As it relates to healthcare and education, providing reliable internet connectivity to rural and remote communities should be a priority, especially when access is tantamount to equity and success.
William Randy Fry 