A presentation by Jack M. Geller, Ph.D. from The EDA Center at the University of Minnesota-Crookston to the 2010 Blandin Broadband conference: Cultivating a Culture of Use 2010.
"Federated learning: out of reach no matter how close",Oleksandr Lapshyn
Addressing the Broadband Gap
1. Addressing the Broadband Gap Jack M. Geller, Ph.D. The EDA Center at the University of Minnesota-Crookston Funding to the EDA Center supported by the Blandin Foundation Grant No. U2010-001
11. Other Characteristics of the Digitally Distant Percent that have a cell phone: 55.3% Percent that use cell to send text messages: 6.4% Percent that use cell for email 1.0% Percent that use cell to surf the Internet: 1.0% Percent that have a total telecom bill under $100 84.1% Percent in household of 2 or fewer members 91.4% Percent with school-aged children 6.1% Percent with high school education or less 63.0%
12. Observations Broadband is now the predominant method by which rural residents connect to the Internet. In 2001 6% of all rural Minnesota households had a broadband connection; but in 2010 only 6% still have a dial-up connection. With a few exceptions, the MIRC communities maintain adoption rates in line with the statewide averages. Stagnant growth in home computers will create a “ceiling” on broadband growth. The socio-economic and demographic characteristics of the digitally distant are greater barriers to the full adoption of broadband technology than geography or topography of rural Minnesota. Significant broadband growth will require intentional strategies to engage the digitally distant.