From Illinois State Digital Equity Plan (November 2023)
Connect Illinois seeks to (A) ensure universal access to high-speed broadband that is affordable, reliable, and fully scalable for residences, businesses, and community anchor institutions (CAIs) across Illinois. At the same time, Connect Illinois plans to promote digital literacy, adoption, and inclusion while leveraging investment in new broadband infrastructure to spur advances in economic development, as well as innovation in healthcare delivery, education, and agriculture.
At its core, the push toward universal access to high-speed broadband infrastructure is one of broadband equity: targeting resources to close gaps and expand opportunity for unserved and underserved communities throughout Illinois. The Connect Illinois digital equity programming and collaborations are a comprehensive approach designed to ensure the state (B) leverages new and existing resources for adoption through targeted digital inclusion strategies and sustainable broadband equity outcomes to help communities identify and address existing broadband equity gaps, and to (C) empower all Illinoisans to utilize and participate fully in an increasingly digital economy and society.