Understanding User Adoption
This tool provides a closer look at user adoption or the rate at which users in an area subscribe to high speed internet service and have access to devices. It also provides context on socioeconomic realities of low utilization, because the biggest barrier to broadband use in some areas of the region is cost.
Using the Map
The map displays household data at the census block group level to understand user adoption. Click the tab on the left with the blue arrow to select a county. Use the selection tool to select census blocks of interest. Use the layers button in the upper right hand corner to toggle between visualizations of census data.
The map displays household data at the census block group level to understand user adoption. Click the tab on the left with the blue arrow to select a county. Use the selection tool to select census blocks of interest. Use the layers button in the upper right hand corner to toggle between visualizations of census data.
The selection tool allows you to select census blocks of interest to your analysis.
About the Data
Data were gathered from the 2019 Census American Community Survey (ACS) The Survey asked households:
- whether they had a subscription to any type of fixed, terrestrial internet (not just mobile devices or satellite service)
- if they had a subscription, is service provided at broadband speeds (25 Mbps for uploads/3 Mbps for downloads), and
- whether they had a computer in their home.
- For more Information on the foundational public data sources used, watch the
NTIA Broadband USA webinar on "Data as the Foundation for Broadband Planning"
Next Steps to Increase Adoption Rates
Low adoption rates are most often the result of limited ability to pay for service or devices, such as computers and smart phones. Lower adoption limits community members' ability to participate in an increasingly remote 21st-century economy, develop digital literacy skills, or access critical information in emergency situations.
The good news about broadband adoption is that the cost of improving adoption rates is lower than the cost of broadband infrastructure to increase the availability of service. Several grant and subsidy programs help get technology into the hands of users who need it most. Unfortunately, local governments are not frequently eligible recipients for these types of grant programs. There are several ways local governments can leverage these programs to increase adoption rates, including: Promote awareness of subsidy programs TO GRANT-eligible partnerS.
SUPPORT education programs to help all members of the community develop digital literacy skills.
DIGITAL LITERACY RESOURCES
Digital Literacy Resources: School Aged Children
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Does your community have high rates of households without broadband? If so, it could be due to lack of service availability.Increasing adoption rates through digital literacy and life-long learning of modern technology tools will be a regional priority for decades to come. But without a reliable network, users can't experience the economic and social benefits of high speed internet.
If you are not sure whether to focus on service availability or user adoption, identify areas of greatest need with a Gap Analysis.
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