Digital equity and access is foundational to reducing systemic inequities and driving the next generation of social and economic development
returns to
individuals
Expands opportunities and reduces inequities for individuals
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Increases access to education / job opportunities and unlocks greater societal inclusion
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Increases economic potential as students with access make $2M+ more over their lifetime(1)
returns to
community & society
Unlocks benefits across the community and society
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Establishes new ways of learning in education through digital curriculum and skills building
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Increases telehealth access, expands digital government, and supports a hybrid justice system(2)
returns to the
economy
Generates a positive return on investment for the economy
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Creates a $2.40 societal ROI (e.g., from increased earnings, taxes) for every $1 invested in digital access(3)
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The presence of ultra-fast broadband leads to 3% average increase in new businesses formation(5)
Investment in digital generates positive societal ROI within 1-2 years and annual GDP benefits
1. VentureBeat. 2. San Antonio Business Journal. 3. Ecotone Analytics. 4. Delotte. 5. Econstor
Preliminary mapping offers insight into household need and points to next steps for future iterations
District and Precinct-level estimates of the # and % of households
A triangulation of current household need based on public data sources
Assessment of verified need based on actual usage, household-level coverage
Without adequate digital access
Self-reported usage to reliable internet and devices (from SASpeakUp, ACS)
Verified adoption based on usage (e.g., from Microsoft, Google)
Facing availability barriers
Self-reported slow / unavailable service (from SASpeakUp) and recorded zip-level avg. speeds (from BroadbandNow)
Validated assessment of realized speeds (e.g., from speed tests) and household-level fiber / asset maps
Facing affordability barriers
Household self-reported inability to afford a monthly bill (from SASpeakUp)
Comparison of household income to cost of available services and price benchmarks
Click on any of the maps below to enlarge:
Access | Households without adequate digital access by Precinct
Access | Households without adequate digital access by District
Availability | Households without adequate digital access by Precinct
Availability | Households without adequate digital access by District
Affordability | Households without adequate digital access by Precinct
Affordability | Households without adequate digital access by District
