digital divide

Here in 2020, in the midst of a flourishing digital revolution, high-speed Internet connectivity is now within reach of practically everyone, everywhere, right? Not exactly. The high-tech future may be moving full steam ahead in cities and suburbs, but rural regions still face a huge digital divide. Fortunately, there’s good news on the horizon: connecting rural regions is getting easier and less expensive every year.

The internet has changed nearly every aspect of American life. It has transformed how we shop, listen to music, learn, do business, bank… and connect with each other. With so many Americans now working or learning from home, our dependence on it has grown. Yet, in dark contrast to internet usage growth, the gap between those who have broadband access and those who do not is growing, too.

Internet connectivity is more critical to the success of our society than ever before. In partnership with some of our biggest customers, Cisco is investing our time, energy, development expertise, and money to make sure that state-of-the-art broadband networks are deployed by recognized Native American Tribes across all 50 states.

With Connected Transportation for Education, we’re paving the way to ubiquitous connectivity, ensuring equality in learning for all students.

Learning is about more than just the acquisition of knowledge.

Five years ago when it was created, the UN Commission for Digital Development stated that “the digital divide continues to be a development divide that must quickly be bridged.” Since then, huge progress has been made in closing the digital divides in the adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs), particularly telephones and the Internet. […]