| A | B |
|---|
| America Offline | Having a connection to fast, open and affordable Internet is no longer a luxury – it’s a public necessity. |
| Digital Divide | But America is suffering from a “digital divide.” Tens of millions of people – more than 40 percent of the country – can’t get online because they can't afford a connection or can't access high-speed Internet where they live |
| Unequal Access | Broadband in America today is not equally accessible. Broadband subscribers are largely middle- or upper-class and living in urban or suburban areas. Poorer communities and communities of color as well as communities in rural settings have been largely left off the grid. |
| Innnovator | in a general sense, is a person or an organization who is one of the first to introduce into reality something better than before. That often opens up a new area for others and achieves an innovation. |
| Options for Better Access | Government should create better incentives for those seeking to build new networks (e.g., grants, tax incentives and subsidies). Government should treat broadband as a public utility like electricity, water systems and roads. Federal legislation should be established to ensure universal access and user choice. Local communities should be free to build their own networks (e.g., municipal wireless and fiber), and to establish technology centers. The public needs to be better engaged with Internet access and choice issues. |
| Final Recommendations | What could be done to increase internet access and create more choices for communities nationwide? |
| Digital Access | access to the internet |
| Digital Etiquette | is a basic set of rules you should follow in order to make the internet better for others, and better for you. It's just as important to treat people with courtesy and respect online as it is in real life |
