CONNECTING YOUR WORLD.
MOVING TOWARD A MORE EQUITABLE FUTURE
In modern society, digital skills are more important than ever before. Many jobs require baseline digital proficiency, schools require students to have home internet access to complete projects, and vast economic opportunities exist online. However, not everyone has equal access to these technologies.
As more and more people need digital skills to obtain work, participate in civil activities, and complete their education, it is clear that access to digital technology is no longer optional. Public and private organizations alike will need to develop solutions to the digital divide and promote equity among marginalized populations.
The Importance of Reducing the Digital Divide
The digital divide refers to the gap between those who have access to reliable internet and those who do not. According to data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), approximately 54.8 percent of global households have access to the internet.
Many unconnected households reside in rural or remote areas with limited broadband infrastructure. Digital disparities are also apparent among racial, gender, and socioeconomic class. Up to 40 percent of American students from Black, Latino, and Indigenous communities experience insufficient digital literacy, language obstacles, and other disincentives to participate in online activities.
According to UNESCO, women in Africa, Asia, and South America are 30–50 percent less likely to make use of the internet than men. Transmitting one gigabit of data in sub-Saharan African countries can cost nearly 40 percent of the average monthly wage.
When discussing the digital divide, it is important to remember that technological advancement is exponential. When a scientist or engineer develops an innovative solution, multiple new technologies can blossom from that single invention. Likewise, the state of the internet looks much different in 2021 than it did in the early 2000s.
With the advent of 5G and other technologies, digital capabilities will vastly increase for wealthier, already connected communities widening the gap for marginalized groups. As a result, the standard for digital proficiency will become more advanced, and it will become more difficult to catch up.
How to Reduce the Digital Divide
Many factors exacerbate the digital divide, from previous histories of discrimination to a lack of economic resources and poor infrastructure. However, reducing this gap is not as simple as handing a person a computer or a mobile phone. Users will also need to have the right infrastructure to connect to a device, the resources to keep it running, and knowledge of how to use it.
However, certain solutions can help reduce the gap and improve digital access for marginalized groups.
Increased Connectivity
According to UNESCO, nearly 45 percent of global households do not have access to the internet. A report from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) estimates that 1.3 billion children between the ages of three and seventeen lack internet access at home. This is nearly two-thirds of the world’s school-age children.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the digital divide became more apparent than ever. As millions of schools and jobs moved online, lack of connectivity made it difficult for students to participate in remote learning. Adults who could not perform their jobs virtually were often subject to layoffs or reduced work hours.
A major solution to reducing the digital divide is to increase connectivity in all communities. Providing widespread internet access can help previously unconnected users take advantage of economic and learning opportunities.
Access to computing devices can help increase connectivity. Additionally, equitable broadband access and strong, future-proof architecture is also important. With these investments, governments and organizations can connect as many people as possible to the digital world.
Better Digital Literacy
Digital literacy is important for individuals to become connected citizens. By having strong knowledge of digital technologies, users can:
With these skills, users can effectively engage with digital technologies and leverage these platforms to their benefit. For example, a person who understands how to find credible information online is more likely to obtain a research-based job than someone who struggles to navigate search engines.
Improved literacy is necessary to reduce the digital divide. If a user does not know how to navigate a computing device or the internet, they are unable to derive as much value from these technologies as their tech-savvy counterparts.
Affordable, Equitable Access
The cost of internet service makes it difficult for many people to gain relevant skills, heightening the digital divide. For unconnected groups to gain technological proficiency, they need affordable access to the internet.
However, many free or low-cost initiatives provided by the private sector can exacerbate the divide. To combat this issue, internet access must not only be affordable—it also has to be equitable. Lower income users must be able to engage with the same websites, content, and platforms as higher income communities. This access can help level the playing field and help users gain modern technical proficiency.
How to Help Bridge the Digital Divide
The digital divide is a highly complex issue, and no single solution will be enough to solve it. Research from Tufts University suggests that up to $240 billion in funding is necessary to close the digital proficiency gap in the United States alone.
While the issue may seem dire, solutions are available. There are steps that institutions, organizations, and scientists can take to help reduce the gap and improve outcomes for unconnected regions and individuals.
Invest in Digital Education
According to a 2018 report from the U.S. Department of Education, approximately 16 percent of American adults between the ages of sixteen to sixty-five are not digitally literate. On a global scale, the report found that 23 percent of adults lack digital literacy skills. Based on these statistics, it is clear that digital education is vital to helping previously unconnected groups become proficient internet users.
Organizations and governments must invest in digital education. Expanding proficiency programs for public schools can help students from all backgrounds gain these skills early on, even if they do not have access to computers at home.
Students are not the only individuals who should benefit from digital education. Adults who lack these skills must also have access to affordable training so that they can build proficiencies and meet evolving job requirements. Private companies should also develop digital training programs for their employees.
Investing in education for people of all ages—from public school students to older adults with years of work experience—can help bridge the divide and promote digital inclusion. These programs must be available to participants from all backgrounds, including rural users, people from marginalized communities, and residents of countries with a historical lack of internet connectivity.
Devise Locally Appropriate, Public-Private Solutions
Solutions to the digital divide must be affordable, equitable, and appropriate for each individual community. There are significant challenges to adopting technologies that range from a lack of knowledge and funding to poor linguistic accessibility. Public and private organizations will need to join forces to develop solutions.
A private company is unlikely to develop an all-encompassing solution on its own, and a for-profit model can hinder users’ ability to become digitally proficient. However, governments may need additional support to increase broadband infrastructure. Partnerships with tech firms and service providers can help execute these initiatives.
Government agencies and public organizations are more likely to have stronger knowledge of a local community than a private company operating in a different part of the world. Partnerships between these entities can encourage information sharing and enable the development of culturally relevant, locally appropriate solutions.
Develop Stronger Broadband Infrastructure
Without access to the internet, people lose economic, educational, and social opportunities. Many of the communities that are affected by the digital divide reside in areas with limited broadband infrastructure.
Without the robust fiber backhaul necessary to communicate with the global internet, users are not able to gain as much value from computing devices. Additionally, these communities need access and middle mile networks that help connect the backhaul to more remote locations.
Like electrical grids or natural gas production, internet access is vital to the functioning of modern society. Unfortunately, many entities still view digital access as a privilege instead of a necessary tool. To reduce the digital divide, this mindset will need to change.
It is important for government entities to develop solutions that not only increase connectivity for rural and remote areas but ensure strong access for many years to come. Society’s reliance on the internet is not likely to decrease. Developing a solution that is only viable for a few years will cause more harm in the long term.
As a result, governments and organizations will need to look into building stronger, longer-lasting networks and architecture. This may involve investing in higher-performing power grids, renewable energy, and maintenance as well as the foundational infrastructure.
The Future of the Digital Divide
Without action, the digital divide is likely to worsen in future years. Digital skills are becoming not only more desirable in the workforce; more and more jobs are requiring applicants have a baseline understanding of digital applications and the internet.
Research shows that over 80 percent of middle-skill jobs require digital skills, like word processing and spreadsheet proficiency. Without this knowledge, marginalized groups can find themselves with fewer and fewer economic opportunities.
Jobs that rely on advanced digital skills, such as software engineers or marketing professionals, tend to pay higher wages than jobs that require baseline proficiency. If access to the internet continues to be inequitable, fewer marginalized groups will be able to unlock these opportunities, exacerbating socioeconomic inequalities.
If businesses, institutions, and governments prioritize digital equity and help develop solutions to solve this problem, however, the future can look very different. More people will be able to take advantage of these opportunities and participate fully in their economies. However, stronger infrastructure and digital education is necessary to close the gap.
Additionally, governments must treat broadband infrastructure as a utility instead of an optional service. Governments will need to prioritize funding for these solutions so that all citizens can fully participate in the online sphere. By investing in equitable digital access, technological proficiency can flourish.
Developing Solutions for Digital Equity
The digital divide is a serious problem in modern society. However, there are many opportunities for organizations to reduce the gap and level the digital playing field. Increased education, better infrastructure, and true affordable, equitable access are only a few of these solutions.
Wavesight . Bridging the Digital Divide
Wavesight helps bridge the digital divide with a a proven, comprehensive and integrated solution with a stack of technologies and know-how that integrates seamlessly with or is a reliable alternative to conventional fibre, microwave and satellite.
Wavesight offers an integrated “hybrid” solution that is affordable and efficient in remote and rural areas where conventional telecom models do not work. Our range of products and solutions deliver powerful communication and connectivity capabilities.
Wavesight uses existing infrastructure and available spectrum more effectively. Helping deliver and distribute upto 2 Gbps of data over a 2 mile radius. Securely.
With the help of patented software, Wavesight ensures a seamless and a balanced distribution of data helping the hardware in the network perform more efficiently .
Lastly , the technology landscape is changing. And so does the solution from Wavesight , keeping in mind to be flexible , scalable and affordable.
Comprehensive Range of Products
An Integrated Solution
Backhaul Options
Connecting fibre and Sat Comms over 5/ 10 Miles radius.
Industrial Grade PTP and PTMP unlicenced radios (6-7.1 Ghz) distributing uto 2 Gbps of data over 5 Miles.
A dedicated cellular network for your enterprise that’s integrated in your local wired and wireless network infrastructure. Distribution of data from the backhaul devices to the home. Using Mesh Technology and cognitive analytics
Distribution
Distribution of data from the backhaul devices to the home. Using Mesh Technology and cognitive analytics
Enterprise class Wi-Fi 6 indoor and outdoor Access points
Inhouse Connectivity
Inhouse Routers with additional 5 G Sim Card and Blue Tooth Modules
Inhouse Routers with additional 5 G Sim Card and Blue Tooth Modules
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