Abstract
To evaluate actions taken to implement the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the primary goal of which was to foster competition in the industry, the FCC created a standardized form (Form 477) to collect information about broadband deployment and competition in local telephone service. These data represent the best publicly available record of broadband provision in the United States. Despite the potential benefits offered by this database, there are several nuances to these data related to shifting geographies and reporting requirements that uncorrected, prevent them from being used as an uninterrupted time series for longitudinal analyses. Given the analytical challenges associated with the FCC Form 477 data, the purpose of this paper is to present a solution to the fragmented nature of these data which prevents meaningful longitudinal analyses of the digital divide. Specifically, this paper develops and describes a procedure for producing an integrated broadband time series (BITS) for the last decade (2008–2018). This includes the procedures for using these data, their value to social and economic analysis, and their underlying limitations. The core contribution of this paper is the creation of data infrastructure for investigating the evolution of the digital divide.
Highlights
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the importance of high-speed broadband Internet connections to society for a range of business and day-to-day activities
Recent estimates suggest that nearly 21% of students in urban areas are without at-home broadband, while 25% and 37% lack at-home broadband in suburban and rural areas, respectively [2]
Despite the potential benefits offered by this database, there are several nuances to these data related to shifting geographies and reporting requirements that prevent them from being used as an uninterrupted time series for longitudinal analyses [18,19,20]
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to highlight the importance of high-speed broadband Internet connections to society for a range of business and day-to-day activities (e.g., teleconferencing, retail, education, banking). The pandemic is highlighting that disparities in access are still present for many Americans. Some efforts to leverage telehealth options during the pandemic, especially in rural areas, are struggling due to poor broadband access [1]. Recent estimates suggest that nearly 21% of students in urban areas are without at-home broadband, while 25% and 37% lack at-home broadband in suburban and rural areas, respectively [2]. Estimates regarding the costs for closing this gap are between $6 and $11 billion [2]. Determining where these broadband gaps exist remains challenging [3, 4]
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