! ! ! !
! "#$#%&!'$(!)*+,!)-#.!'*//0(-#-%&!#*!$11+%&&! ! +0+$23!2*)4-('*/%!(%%1&! ! !"#$%&$'%()**%+($'%(,--#"./'0.0*+( !
( ( ( 1$"*'(2#++&*"3*"( 4$"#50'*(6#5&*".( 78#..(9$4#:&*( ( ! ( ! !;/'*(<=<=( ! ! ! ! ! ! !
The Iowa Policy Project 20 E. Market Street • Iowa City, Iowa 52245 (319) 338-0773 www.iowapolicyproject.org!
Authors and Acknowledgments ! Karen Mossberger is the Frank and June Sackton Professor in the School of Public Affairs at Arizona State University and director of the Center on Technology, Data and Society. Her research interests include digital inequality, digital government, local government, and the impacts of technology use. She is the author or co-author of 5 books, including "Digital Cities: The Internet and the Geography of Opportunity" (2012, Oxford, with Caroline Tolbert and William Franko), and “Digital Citizenship: The Internet, Participation and Society” (2008, MIT Press, with Caroline Tolbert and Ramona S. McNeal). Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, among others, and has been honored with awards from the American Political Science Association, the American Society for Public Administration, and Public Administration Review. She was elected a fellow in the National Academy of Public Administration in 2016.
Caroline Tolbert is Professor of Political Science at the University of Iowa. Her research and teaching weaves together a concern with opportunity and inequality, elections and representation, technology policy, and state and local policy. Her work is driven by a theoretical and normative interest in strengthening American democracy and improving local economies, with an emphasis on fostering participation. She has contributed to many subfields including digital politics; campaigns, voting and elections; election reform; public opinion; direct democracy and race & politics. Tolbert has published more than 50 peer reviewed journal articles and 9 books (two of which are co-edited). She is the coauthor of Accessible Elections: How the States can Help Americans Vote (Oxford, 2020) on absentee/mail voting, early voting and same-day registration and Why Iowa? How Caucuses and Sequential Elections Improve the Presidential Nominating Process (Chicago, 2011). With Karen Mossberger she has authored three books on the internet, economic opportunity and political participation including Digital Cities (2012), Digital Citizenship (2008) and Virtual Inequality: Beyond the Digital Divide (2003). She was ranked in the top 400 most cited political science faculty from Ph.D. granting institutions in terms of citations, top 25 most cited in age cohort, and top 40 women political scientists (any age) in 2018. [“The political science 400: With citation counts by cohort, gender, and subfield,” PS: Political Science.] Her research has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Democracy Fund, MacArthur Foundation, HUD, Smith Richardson Foundation, Godaddy Corporation and others.Tolbert has taught graduate level statistics and research design courses for nearly two decades. She earned a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado, Boulder.
Scott LaCombe just completed his doctorate degree in political science at the University of Iowa and will be starting a tenure track teaching position at Smith College in the fall.
We gratefully acknowledge the authors’ contribution to public understanding of important issues facing Iowans and involving the Iowa Policy Project in that effort. Views expressed are solely the perspective of the authors and the Iowa Policy Project.
( The( Iowa Policy Project ! Formed in 2001, the Iowa Policy Project (IPP) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization located at 20 E. Market Street, Iowa City, IA 52245. IPP promotes public policy that fosters economic opportunity while safeguarding the health and well-being of Iowa’s people and the environment. By providing a foundation of fact-based, objective research and engaging the public in an informed discussion of policy alternatives, the Iowa Policy Project advances accountable, effective and fair government.
IPP reports are available to the public, free of charge, online at http://www.iowapolicyproject.org. IPP is a 501(c)3 organization. Contributions to support our work may be tax-deductible.
""! !
The Iowa Policy Project 20 E. Market St. • Iowa City, Iowa 52245 • (319) 338-0773 www.iowapolicyproject.org
June 8, 2020 Broadband needs and opportunities in Iowa States can work with communities to address rural, low-income needs ! By Karen Mossberger, Arizona State University Caroline Tolbert, University of Iowa Scott LaCombe, University of Iowa and Smith College !!
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
#! !
J'*C/$50.0*+(0'(&"#$%&$'%(0'?"$+."/8./"*($'%(/+*(>$A*(+03'0?08$'.(+#80$5(8#+.+(?#"(0'%0A0%/$5+($'%( 8#::/'0.0*+(*A*'(0'(b'#":$5c(.0:*+F(J'.*"'*.(/+*(0+(0:-#".$'.(?#"(D$3*+(LV02$330#($'%( !#'0E#D+E0(<==NOB(0'85/%0'3(?#"(5*++G*%/8$.*%(D#"E*"+(L2#++&*"3*"B(6#5&*".($'%(28)*$5(<==NOB( $'%(?#"(a#&+(.>$.(#??*"(*8#'#:08(:#&050.@(D0.>#/.($(8#55*3*(*%/8$.0#'(Ld#""03$'(<=IN`(7>*$"*"($'%( 7>$>(<=INOF(J#D$(8#/'.0*+(D0.>(>03>*"(&"#$%&$'%(+/&+8"0-.0#'("$.*+(3*'*"$55@(>$A*(>03>*"( :*%0$'(0'8#:*F(J'.*"'*.(/+*(:$..*"+(0'(#.>*"(D$@+(G(?#"(80A08(*'3$3*:*'.(L2#++&*"3*"B(6#5&*".( $'%(28)*$5(<==N`(!#/50$''*(<==P($'%(<=IWOB(80.0e*'($..0./%*+(.#D$"%(3#A*"':*'.(L6#5&*".($'%( 2#++&*"3*"(<==QOB($'%($88*++(.#(>*$5.>(0'?#":$.0#'($'%("*+#/"8*+(L78>$".:$'G4@8@E(*.($5F(<=IPOF((
How Broadband Matters for Individuals and Communities
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f($+(#/"("*+*$"8>( #'(&"#$%&$'%(+/&+8"0-.0#'+(+>#D+(L2#++&*"3*"B(6#5&*".($'%(9$4#:&*(?#".>8#:0'3OF(M88#"%0'3(.#( .>*(!"##E0'3+(J'+.0./.0#'B(0.(0+(.>*(b+/&+8"0-.0#'(3$-c(.>$.(0+(:#+.(-"*A$5*'.B(0'("/"$5($'%(/"&$'( 8#::/'0.0*+(L6#:*"(*.($5F(<=IUOF(6>0+(:$..*"+(?#"(8#::/'0.@(#/.8#:*+B($+(D*55($+(?#"(0'%0A0%/$5+( 5*?.(&*>0'%F(_"#:($(-/&508(-#508@(-*"+-*8.0A*B(D>*'($(+03'0?08$'.(-"#-#".0#'(#?(?$:050*+(0'($(+8>##5( %0+."08.(5$8E(&"#$%&$'%($88*++($'%(%*A08*+($.(>#:*B(*%/8$.0#'$5(C/$50.@(+/??*"+F(78>##5+($"*(/'$&5*( .#(+/--#".(85$++"##:(5*$"'0'3(D0.>(>#:*D#"E(#"(.#(-"*-$"*(+./%*'.+(?#"(8#55*3*(#"(8$"**"+F(7.$.*( $'%(5#8$5(3#A*"':*'.+($"*(5*++($&5*(.#("*$50e*(.>*(8#+.(+$A0'3+ ($'%(*??080*'80*+(#?(%030.$5( 3#A*"':*'.F(( 9#8$5(8#::/'0.0*+(D0.>($(5$"3*"(-*"8*'.$3*(#?(.>*(-#-/5$.0#'(D0.>(&"#$%&$'%(+/&+8"0-.0#'+($"*( :#"*(-"#+-*"#/+F(g*+*$"8>(+>#D+(.>*@(>$A*(&*..*"(#/.8#:*+(#'($(-"#+-*"0.@(0'%*\(.>$.(:*$+/"*+( 0'8"*$+*+(0'(a#&+($'%(&/+0'*++*+B(-#A*".@B("*+0%*'.+(0'(.>*(D#"E?#"8*B(>#/+0'3(A$8$'80*+B( *%/8$.0#'$5($..$0':*'.B($'%($%a/+.*%(0'8#:*(L2#++&*"3*"B(6#5&*".($'%(9$4#:&*(?#".>8#:0'3OF( 6"$8E0'3(#/.8#:*+(#A*"('*$"5@(.D#(%*8$%*+('$.0#'$55@(%*:#'+."$.*+(.>$.(8#/'.0*+(D0.>(>03>*"( -*"8*'.$3*+(#?(&"#$%&$'%(+/&+8"0&*"+(>$%(>03>*"(5*A*5+(#?(-"#+-*"0.@($'%("*8#A*"*%(:#"*(?/55@( ?"#:(.>*(5$+.("*8*++0#'F(6>0+(D$+(."/*(?#"(/"&$'B(+/&/"&$'($'%("/"$5(8#/'.0*+B(8#'."#550'3(?#"(#.>*"( ?$8.#"+(.>$.($??*8.(5#8$5(*8#'#:0*+F(4>$'3*+(0'(:*%0$'(>#/+*>#5%(0'8#:*(+>#D(.>$.(0'8"*$+*+(0'( &"#$%&$'%($%#-.0#'(5*$%(5$.*"(.#(>03>*"(:*%0$'(0'8#:*(0'(8#/'.0*+B(0'%08$.0'3(.>$.(&"#$%&$'%( D$+($(8$/+*(#?(.>0+(8>$'3*F(6>*(.D#(:$-+(&*5#D(8#:-$"*(&"#$%&$'%(+/&+8"0-.0#'("$.*+(L5*?.O(D0.>( *8#'#:08(-"#+-*"0.@(L"03>.OF(6>*($"*$+(D0.>(.>*(>03>*+.("$.*+(#?(&"#$%&$'%(+/&+8"0-.0#'+($5+#( >$A*(.>*(>03>*+.(5*A*5+(#?(*8#'#:08(-"#+-*"0.@F(70:05$"(-$..*"'+(*:*"3*(D>*'(5##E0'3($.( >#/+*>#5%(:*%0$'(0'8#:*F(
,.>*"("*8*'.("*+*$"8>(%*:#'+."$.*+(>#D(&"#$%&$'%(/+*($??*8.+(*8#'#:08(-"#+-*"0.@F(h#V$%%@B( .>*(D#"5%K+(5$"3*+.("*30+."$"(#?(%#:$0'('$:*+B("*8*'.5@(+>$"*%(%$.$(#'(<=(:0550#'($8.0A*(%#:$0'( '$:*(D*&+0.*+(#"(bA*'./"*+c(0'(.>*(RF7F(g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e0-(8#%*+( PoliciesL2#++&*"3*"B(6#5&*".($'%( for Now and the Broadband9$4#:&*(<=<=OF Future ((
!"#$%&$'%($88*++($'%($%#-.0#'($"*("*+#/"8*+(?#"(*8#'#:08("*8#A*"@(?#55#D0'3(.>*(-$'%*:08B($'%( ?#"(?/./"*(3"#D.>(:#A0'3(?#"D$"%F(!"#$%&$'%(0+('**%*%(?#"(-/&508(+*"A08*+($'%(>*$5.>@( 8#::/'0.0*+F(!"#$%&$'%(0+('*8*++$"@(?#"($55(0'%0A0%/$5+(.#(-$".080-$.*(0'(+#80*.@($'%(.#(>$A*( *C/$50.@(#?(#--#"./'0.@`(.>0+(D$+(."/*(&*?#"*(.>*(-$'%*:08B($'% (D055(&*(0'8"*$+0'35@(+#B(D0.>(.>*( -"#5#'3*%(+#80$5(0:-$8.+(#?(.>*(A0"/+F( 7.$.*+(>$A*(?5*\0&050.@(%/"0'3(.>*(8/""*'.(*:*"3*'8@(.#(-"#A0%*(8#:-/.*"+($'%(0'.*"'*.($88*++(.#( *5030&5*(?$:050*+(/+0'3(?/'%+(?"#:(6*:-#"$"@(M++0+.$'8*(.#()**%@(_$:050*+(L6M)_OF(_/".>*"(%*.$05+( $"*($A$05$&5*(?"#:(.>*(R7(V*-$".:*'.(#?(d*$5.>($'%(d/:$'(7*"A08*+( L>..-+i^^DDDF$8?F>>+F3#A^#?$^"*+#/"8*^CG$G/+*G#?G?/'%+j-$3*k
The Iowa Policy Project thanks the authors for providing this summary of broadband issues facing Iowa. See their longer report on our website, www.iowapolicyproject.org. IPP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research and analysis organization in Iowa City. Founded in 2001, IPP is funded by foundation grants and donations from individuals and organizations.
! (! Appendix
Summary Statistics for Broadband Subscriptions in Iowa’s 99 Counties Variable Mean Std. Dev. Min Max Broadband Subscriptions Any Type 75.52525 4.234994 62.8 88 Broadband Subscriptions – Not counting cell phone only 64.61919 5.606168 48.5 80.6 Economic Prosperity Index 2018 53.00109 10.68119 28.35194 80.5407
Quartile Cut-offs for Iowa’s 99 Counties—Broadband Access Tracks with Higher Economic Prosperity Variable 25% 50% 75% Broadband Subscriptions Any Type 73.4 75.6 77.9 Broadband Subscriptions – Not counting cell phone only 61.1 65 67.5 Economic Prosperity Index 2018 45.29 53.5 60.1
)! !