In May 2021, the FCC launched the Emergency Broadband Benefit to help Americans stay connected to reliable Internet service during the COVID pandemic. Since evolving into the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), it has connected nearly 20 million households nationwide. But despite the program’s success, millions remain unconnected.
This is because cost is not the only barrier to getting online. Reasons also include access to devices, digital literacy skills, and ongoing technical support. To address these obstacles and connect the last 20%, organizations like Human-I-T are playing a crucial role.
Human-I-T is deeply embedded in their Detroit, Michigan community. Over the past few years, they have worked with partners to distribute 17,400 devices and connect nearly 2,100 households in Motor City.
In June, Human-I-T opened the first-in-the-nation digital equity retail location in Detroit – the Human-I-T on 7 Mile Road. This true digital equity hub provides a one-stop shop for all things digital adoption and offers low-cost devices, digital literacy training, tech support, and assistance with signing up for programs like ACP. This “hub” approach is groundbreaking and helps connect the unconnected to America’s Excellent Internet.
This physical location “enhances Human-I-T’s one-on-one support model by offering personalized, in-person digital navigation to ensure that residents can fully harness digital resources to accomplish their personal online goals. As the first of its kind in Detroit, the store is a leap forward for Digital Equity in the city, propelling individuals and communities towards their fullest potential,” said Adam Sharma, Human I-T Vice President, Strategic Innovation & Partnerships.
Human-I-T understands the barriers to digital adoption because they’ve spent years supporting their communities. In Detroit alone, Human-I-T has shrunk the city’s digital divide by nearly 10%. Their digital navigation efforts have also expanded to other parts of the nation like Los Angeles. By opening a retail location, they have made their offerings ever more accessible.
Human-I-T on 7 Mile Road is a true innovation, bringing digital equity to retail and offering a blueprint for other digital navigator and digital equity organizations. For more resources on digital adoption, visit Network:On’s Connect20 toolkit.
