Harkins: How can we help older Erieites tap the many benefits of broadband?

The whole point of investing in infrastructure is improving access — giving people a safer, speedier trip from point A to point B. Widening highways allows more motorists to travel, and building or bolstering bridges and tunnels ensures a direct, efficient route for people and consumer goods.

Broadband — the information superhighway — is also critical infrastructure, which is why about $100 million of the $18 billion Pennsylvania is receiving in federal infrastructure dollars is being allocated to build stronger, speedier online access.

For some Erie residents and business owners — particularly those in the eastern and southern parts of the county who have struggled with sluggish, unreliable access — those speedy connections to commerce, telemedicine, education and other online destinations will be a blessing.

But boosting broadband won’t solve a more fundamental problem: getting at least 20% of the population (largely 65 or older) who are not connected to the internet to want to become connected — to feel the need to take the trip in the first place.

Why folks don’t connect

According to a recent Erie Times-News column by Elspeth Koehle, 99% of Erie County households already have access to broadband available — yet fewer than 70% are actually connected. (The latest U.S. Census data suggests that number could be as high as 83%, but either way, it still amounts to a substantial chunk of the population.)

The numbers suggest that what’s really keeping many people from connecting may be more a matter of mindset than of cost or access.

Telecom analyst Roger Entner recently looked at survey data collected by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration — the branch of the U.S. Commerce Department that administers broadband funding. The data show that home internet use increased from 26% in 1998 to 80% in 2019.

Several years later, the number of nonusers — in Erie and nationwide — still hovers around 20%.

Why? According to Entner, just 0.7% of those who did not use the internet cited a lack of availability, just .06% cited lack of a computer, and even fewer — about .055% — cited privacy concerns.

Cost was a slightly larger concern, mentioned by 4% of survey respondents. To the extent affordability plays a role in discouraging some Pennsylvanians from connecting, local government needs to do a better job of publicizing the options available for low-income households. The Affordable Connectivity Program can provide eligible households monthly broadband discounts of up to $30, making high-speed connections possible for nearly every household.

Cost concerns aside, however, the No. 1 reason — cited by 13% of respondents — for not connecting was that folks either were not interested or failed to see the need for an internet connection.

Not surprisingly, the majority were age 65 or older. It’s easy to understand why generations of Americans who grew up without the internet — who served their countries, built successful businesses and raised families without an online connection — fail to see it as a necessity.

Why it matters

Because those online connections have quality-of-life implications that may not be obvious to those who are not already benefiting from them.

The ability to communicate with family and friends — particularly over distances or during the long Erie winters or periods of higher pandemic risk — is a critical way to combat social isolation and the depression it can breed. Cell phones can help, but for older Pennsylvanians, a computer screen can literally open the door to a new world.

Beyond the link to social engagement, the internet more and more is becoming the portal to critical health care information. In fact, public health experts consider access to reliable, high-speed internet to be a “super-determinant” of health.

What we can do

Of course, public education campaigns outlining the benefits of internet access can help, and we need to step up those efforts as a community. Doctor’s offices can emphasize the benefits of telemedicine and other health-related online services, and trusted places like veterans’ clubs, senior centers and churches can help publicize the multiple benefits those online connections can bring.

Libraries, senior centers and even local retailers can provide a dedicated Zoom desk from time to time — complete with tech support — to encourage folks to try it out.

We should continue involving youth, as well, through scouting badges and class assignments that involve teaching a grandparent to browse or communicate online. The many internet-savvy students in our community can also partner with local businesses or agencies to host senior educational fairs on internet use.

Of course, we won’t reach everyone. For those who don’t want to connect, it will be essential to keep our cell service strong and reliable. That has been an issue on Presque Isle and areas on and around Lake Erie and it is why we held a live town hall on cell service on Thursday, May 5 at the Tom Ridge Environmental Center.

But with millions of dollars coming to boost broadband access, let’s renew our efforts to make those better, faster connections more compelling for more of our community.

State Rep. Pat Harkins represents Pennsylvania’s 1st Legislative District.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Harkins: How can we help older Erieites tap benefits of broadband?