The pandemic of the last six months has laid bare the stark differences between the haves and have nots in this country and around the world. There are those haves who are fortunate to be able to work from home and there are the “have nots” who are deemed essential and have to work on the front lines, dealing with the public in the hospitals, grocery stores and related service industries.
It’s also revealed the advantages the “digital haves” have over the “digital have nots.” The difference represents the “digital divide” in this country between those who have access to broadband and those who do not—and nowhere is this more evident than in education. Students who have easy access to broadband clearly have advantages over those who do not; this was noticeably evident prior to the outbreak and has become even more pronounced since, especially now that we are in September and the start of a school year starkly different than ever before seen in our lifetimes.
Last year, the FCC issued a report that put the number of Americans lacking access to fixed terrestrial broadband connectivity at 21.3 million; however, a study by BroadbandNow Research in February indicates the number is closer to twice that.
Read more at TV Technology.
