Internet connectivity: An essential these days
Broad band: high speed internet as opposed to dial-up. When SDSU first offered internet services off campus, it was dial-up. Sometimes you’d get a busy signal. Sometimes Lilly Tomlin would come on the line and laugh. If the winds blew, there was little or no connectivity.
Broadband internet is what many of us subscribe to locally from Spectrum. It’s fast and has a wide range of frequencies, meaning that you can watch a movie and receive emails while many of your neighbors can do the same thing simultaneously. It’s better than it was 5 or 6 years ago when the service would go out periodically.
As many Valleyites know, however, there’s a local digital divide. Lots of residents cannot afford high speed internet at home or simply do not have access in their area. But change is coming. Enter AB 1665, Internet for all Act of 2017. The bill is in its third try to be passed, and this year looks good. It awaits Governor Brown’s signature having already won unusual bi-partisan support from the state legislature. It would allow the CA Public Utilities Commission to collect $330 million over 5 years from a modest telephone surcharge. This money would go toward expanding internet infrastructure making broadband available to 98 percent of California households.
The first clue for me that demand outstripped supply was the wait at local libraries for using the internet linked computers. Once your turn came up, you were still limited to 30 minutes or whatever time limit that library was imposing. Yes. A lot of the internet usage is for entertainment, but according to the educational and governmental leaders at last Friday’s Charter Communications gathering, school assignments now assume internet connectivity. Add to this: job searches and applications, tax filing, government announcements, e-commerce, messaging, news, university applications and financial aid, and YouTube instructions on how to do just about anything. Clearly, internet connectivity in the 21st century is assumed. It’s not a luxury.
I was alerted to local efforts to promote internet expansion and accessibility by Tim Kelley’s article in this newspaper last May. Tim is the CEO of the Imperial Valley Economic Development Corporation (IVEDC). His job includes bringing businesses to the Imperial Valley and insuring there is a trained work force to fill new jobs. Expanding the internet to more Valley homes is part of better preparing our local work force through education and training, and in announcing job opportunities. IVEDC travels to communities throughout the county seeking input on local needs. I attended a meeting in El Centro of the local Broadband Consortium. Part of this effort is educating local residents, especially parents and children, on the opportunities broadband offers for all generations. Try filling out a tax form or even a three page survey on your mobile phone. You’ll get the picture.
Edwin Delgado wrote an article in Saturday’s newspaper on the recent Charter Communications meeting. He covers the convocation well. I was impressed by the efforts of Eduardo Garcia, our state Assemblyman in bringing this bill to the governor’s desk. He’s a champion of internet connectivity for rural areas, and he gives a good speech explaining the bill’s importance.
Additionally, and this is great news, Charter/Spectrum is now providing low cost internet access to qualifying low-income families and individuals (you, too, seniors). For $15/month, high speed internet becomes available at home. I see it as being connected with the resources of the world. I used to work at UCLA as a research assistant and frequently used that university’s many libraries. When we were connected to the SDSU internet at home, even with the pokey dialup, I realized I now had access to more information than all of those libraries combined. And I could access it while drinking a cup of coffee dressed in my PJ’s.
To check your eligibility for “Spectrum Internet Assist” call 1-844-525-1574 or use your library’s internet linked computer and check out www.SpectrumInternetAssist.com