PENNSYLVANIA, USA — Editor's Note: The above video is from Jan. 13, 2022.
As the country nears the two-year mark of the arrival of COVID-19, Pennsylvania's enduring "digital divide" continues to serve as a reminder of the everyday technological disparities the pandemic brought to light.
From students to business owners to employees, coronavirus has forced millions of residents across the Commonwealth to work, study, and interact remotely, a feat only possible with reliable internet access. However, many in Pennsylvania and around the nation do not have that key ingredient, especially those lower in socioeconomic standing.
Even though more American homes acquired computers and internet access in recent years, one study found "the proportion of lower-income families whose internet access is unreliable or insufficient remained roughly the same."
Pennsylvania is no different: At least 500,000 residents are currently living without broadband, which provides the high-speed internet access required for remote conferencing, learning and communication in general.
However, Governor Wolf announced Tuesday he is looking to close the Commonwealth's digital divide with the official creation of the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority.
After signing the bipartisan House Bill 2071, the piece of legislation that created the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority, in December, the organization will serve as the "one stop shop for all things broadband in Pennsylvania," according to a media release from the governor's office.
As part of that role, the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority will manage at least $100 million in federal aid that will fund broadband rollout projects across the state.
The money comes from Pennsylvania's cut of the infrastructure bill signed by President Biden in November. In addition to expanding broadband access across the Commonwealth, the bill is also funding bridge repair and replacement, public transportation updates, and clean drinking water projects.
Prioritizing reliable internet access for Pennsylvanians alongside transportation and drinking water shows just how necessary digital communication has become to live a healthy lifestyle, according to Wolf.
“Broadband is as essential today as electricity and water," he said in a statement. "But there is a digital divide in Pennsylvania. This Broadband Authority will close the divide and ensure consistent, affordable, quality statewide broadband to keep children learning, businesses growing, and opportunities abounding for all Pennsylvanians.”
In addition to low-income communities, broadband access is significantly lacking in Pennsylvania's rural areas. Although the Wolf administration specifically sought to increase high-speed internet access in rural spaces through the 2018 Pennsylvania Broadband Investment Incentive Program, significant gaps still remain.
"While nearly every Pennsylvanian has likely experienced a dropped cell phone call or experienced frustration with an internet outage, our rural communities deal with this every day," Dr. Jason Bottiglieri, a representative from the Pennsylvania Association of Rural and Small Schools and the Wyalusing Area School District superintendent. "Imagine learning in that environment, imagine working or running a business in that environment, imagine not having access to conduct medical research, or being denied equal access to quality doctors and mental health services that can be delivered via telemedicine. We cannot allow a child's zip code to dictate their success."
Eleven members make up the Pennsylvania Broadband Authority, which include the secretaries of the departments of Agriculture, Community and Economic Development, Education, General Services, and Budget. The executive director for the Center for Rural Pennsylvania and the chairperson from the Pennsylvania Utilities Commission will also serve on the team, along with four unnamed legislative members.