“There're large gaps between people who do and do not have internet access,” Chloe Mun, the county’s technology and operations program manager, told commissioners March 25.
The big picture
A collaboration between the city of Austin, Travis County and St. David’s Foundation, the needs assessment study was approved in 2023 to better understand local barriers to connectivity, any unique challenges individuals face and potential strategies to address them.
Reyda Taylor, a county employee and fellow of the research initiative, said despite having broadband infrastructure widely available across the city and county, there are a variety of both longstanding and newly identified barriers.
While affordability ranked as the largest barrier to access among those without internet, additional challenges included:
- Limited access to devices
- Short battery life from second-hand or refurbished equipment
- Lack of access to peripheral devices, such as public outlets, charging stations or printers
- Difficulty accessing public internet locations due to transportation barriers
- Inability to obtain internet subscriptions due to lack of credit history or bank accounts
- Language barriers when troubleshooting with tech support
- Paywalls at public access points, such as needing to purchase an item to use Wi-Fi at a coffee shop
For example, she noted that some residents, such as the elderly population, voiced the need for basic internet skills training. While others sought a more in-depth understanding of how the internet works and ways to prevent scammers from targeting their information.
She said the current technology environment left too much room for “uncoordinated exclusion,” leaving individuals behind because the system didn’t work together.
Based on recent census data, an estimated 23,381 households in Travis County do not have an internet access. There are roughly 8,836 kids under the age of 18 without access to an internet connection.
“From making a doctor’s appointment to applying for jobs, high-speed internet has become a vital part of our lives,” Commissioner Margaret Gomez said during the research initiative’s initial launch.
The study also assessed where future investment and engagement would have the highest impact in the community.
Based on the study’s findings, the city of Austin is currently working on “refreshing” its Digital Inclusion Strategic Plan, approved over a decade ago in 2014, program manager Jesse Rodriguez said.
“There's really not a one size fits all solution,” he said, outlining several recommendations.
Addressing affordability—the most common reason for lacking internet access—he highlighted programs that provide low-cost devices, repair and support services, expanded mobile connectivity and charging options, and free or low-cost public access points.
Other resources include training on how to navigate spam and scam calls or emails; tenant rights with respect to internet provider options; and a diversity of digital skills training opportunities.
The city does currently offer individualized digital training opportunities, in partnership with nonprofit AustinFree.net; however, the program has only two employed literacy trainers at present, Rodriguez said.
For anyone interested, the research team compiled an updated list of resources for digital needs, including free device rentals and publicly accessible wifi, on its website www.traviscountytx.gov/bdep/resource-for-digital-needs.
One more thing
The county is expected to revisit the item at a future date to discuss how it can provide support beyond the city’s existing resources; however, a timeframe was not stated.
Funding dedicated to the expansion of broadband accessibility has been temporarily suspended, “due to ongoing federal government realignment.”
The Texas Broadband Development Office, which is under the Comptroller Office, announced in early March a pause on its allocation of $3.2 billion dollars towards expanding infrastructure and $55.6 million to help support accessibility programs.
“That's really unfortunate; there's such a clear need for access to this,” Commissioner Brigid Shea said.
