Research

Limited global research exists about girls’ and boys’ access to and use of mobile phones. For girls, access is much more diverse and colourful than simply whether they ‘have’ or ‘have not’ got a phone. Access is often transient, and diverse ownership, borrowership and sharing practices are flourishing. Boys are 1.5 times more likely to own a phone and 1.8 times more likely to own a smartphone. They're also more likely to use phones in more diverse and internet-enabled ways than girls. Girls are going to great lengths to gain access.

The results from a recent survey of 1,205 Los Angeles County likely voters demonstrate public demand for public solutions that ensure affordable, reliable, and fast internet service is available for everyone. The survey found that internet access is considered a necessity for functioning and participating in society, and there is strong support for government involvement in ensuring these needs are met.

The digital divide is multi-faceted and currently there is no single set of instructions for how it can be closed. Broadly speaking, there are at least two main reasons why a location may not have high-speed internet: 1) Infrastructure deficiencies, meaning either the complete absence of infrastructure, or the present infrastructure is insufficient for delivering broadband speeds and 2) the proper infrastructure is present, but there is a lack of adoption from the people who could theoretically take advantage of it.

The Kentucky Office of Systems Equity in partnership with the Office of Broadband seeks public input on the draft of Kentucky’s first Digital Equity Plan. Obtaining input from Kentuckians on high-speed internet expansion and digital access throughout the commonwealth is part of the federal funding process.

Puerto Rico has released its Digital Equity Plan and Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment (BEAD) Program Initial Proposal Volume 1 for the input and comments of its citizens. The comment period is currently open until Sunday, October 15. Citizens can visit the website at the following link. 

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin (PSC) released the draft Wisconsin Digital Equity Plan for public comment. Once approved by the PSC, the Digital Equity Plan will guide the state’s strategy to improve digital equity, ensuring all in Wisconsin have the skills, devices, and broadband service necessary to fully participate in society and the economy. After the public comment period, the PSC will review the public comments and finalize the plan during an open meeting for submission to the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA).

Over 12% of Indiana survey respondents did not pay for home internet in the previous 12 months. The biggest reasons were related to affordability and not only about home internet service but devices too. Lacking a desktop or laptop was the main reason why 7% of survey respondents did not use the internet daily. Additionally, survey respondents believed a home internet service was not necessary since their smartphones let them do everything they needed to do online.

In August 2023, US News & World Report surveyed more than 3,500 US adults who pay for home internet service to find out what they are currently paying for that service, how much their costs have increased, and what impact that rising expense has on their overall budget and their ability to pay other essential bills.

Nationally, 85 percent of farms reported having access to the internet. In 2023, 51 percent of internet-connected farms utilized a broadband connection while 75 percent of internet-connected farms had access through a cellular data plan. Additionally, 69 percent of farms had a desktop or laptop computer while 82 percent of farms had a smartphone. In 2023, 32 percent of farms used the internet to purchase agricultural inputs, which was an increase of 3 percent from 2021.

Connected Nation collaborated with AT&T to explore attitudes toward home broadband service and the Affordable Connectivity Program. Researchers spoke with 1,758 households in five metropolitan areas about their home internet service, awareness of programs that could help make broadband more affordable, and reasons why some households still do not subscribe to high-speed internet. Of those, 453 respondents meet the income eligibility requirement to participate in the ACP; these households are identified as “low-income” in this study.  Among the key findings from this study: