Across America, access to the Internet is transforming economies, connecting communities, and unlocking a better future for all.
Thanks to America’s Excellent Internet, we are witnessing the transformation of rural towns able to access services remotely, Main Streets full of thriving businesses revitalized by online sales, and urban centers empowered by all that a high-speed broadband connection has to offer.
But more work needs to be done. With billions in public and private funding invested in broadband deployment, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to realize the potential of a fully connected America.
Broadband Transforms Everything
Over the last year, we’ve highlighted the incredible work of digital navigators and digital inclusion practitioners connecting the 20% of Americans who don’t yet subscribe to home broadband. Through our #Connect20 campaign, we’ve been inspired by the ways broadband access changes lives. At the Connect20 Summit, we heard about a Tribal resident whose pacemaker now connects directly to her doctor, saving her from hour-long trips to their office. We also heard about how new digital skills have helped families pursue new opportunities thanks to the Affordable Connectivity Program.
That’s what we mean when we talk about the transformative power of broadband. And this year, we’re taking a step back to look at that bigger picture with a new campaign highlighting how a robust internet connection unlocks a better future for all.
Broadband transforms everything – and we want people to talk about it.
Hitting the Road
If you joined us at State of the Net or Net Inclusion last month, you were the first to know about Broadband Transforms Everything. Both events convened critical conversations in the broadband space – the perfect venues to launch our new campaign!
At State of the Net, we were thrilled to hear NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson discuss the importance of the Affordable Connectivity Program, which connects 23 million Americans to broadband. “Affordability is a necessity, not a luxury,” he said, and we couldn’t agree more! We also heard about how broadband is unlocking innovation – as much of the conversations focused on new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), which wouldn’t be possible without America’s Excellent Internet.
Our partners at the National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) hosted their annual Net Inclusion to bring together digital navigators and other advocates to discuss the importance of Internet for All. It was their largest Net Inclusion event yet, and for good reason! With so much funding being invested in broadband access and adoption, now is the time to rally the troops and #Connect20. This year, the rooms were packed with digital equity practitioners and advocates from other industries like health care and community development.
Connectivity is no longer a siloed industry – broadband transforms everything.
