Broadband Adoption| Toward an Inclusive Measure of Broadband Adoption

Charles M. Davidson, Michael J. Santorelli, Thomas Kamber

Abstract


Accrual of the benefits of broadband connectivity differs from user group to user group. This dynamic impacts the structure of broadband adoption programs, the crafting of policy responses to the digital divide, and the measurement of outcomes. Thus a one-size-fits-all definition and measure of broadband adoption should be resisted, lest certain types or levels of usage unique to a particular group be dismissed or undercounted. This article proposes development of a more inclusive understanding of broadband adoption that measures the intensity of broadband use by harnessing quantitative, qualitative, and anecdotal data stemming from training programs, consumer surveys, and other such sources.

Full Text:

PDF