We need your help in our state and local efforts to improve Digital Inclusion.
Please take this Short Survey developed by the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) to address the activities necessary to ensure equitable access to and use of information and communication technologies.
Please take this Short Survey developed by the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) to address the activities necessary to ensure equitable access to and use of information and communication technologies.
The Digital Equity Act
- Provides digital skills training and education and education to low-income populations
- Improves online accessibility of social services for individuals with disabilities
- Empowers rural communities to measure and address their own broadband needs
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) - Do you Qualify? See: Digital Equity & FIDIUM FIBER ACP for details.
The ACP Dashboard identifies that roughly 30% of eligible Mainers use ACP and on the Blue Hill Peninsula - only 10%.
Fidium Fiber's ACP - https://www.fidiumfiber.com/Support/billing/fiber-internet-discount-affordable-connectivity-program
The ACP Dashboard identifies that roughly 30% of eligible Mainers use ACP and on the Blue Hill Peninsula - only 10%.
Fidium Fiber's ACP - https://www.fidiumfiber.com/Support/billing/fiber-internet-discount-affordable-connectivity-program
Who's Eligible?
A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
1. Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
2. Participates in Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
3. Participates in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;
4. Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
5. Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program.
A household is eligible for the Affordable Connectivity Program if the household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines, or if a member of the household meets at least one of the criteria below:
1. Participates in certain assistance programs, such as SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing Assistance, SSI, WIC, or Lifeline;
2. Participates in Tribal specific programs, such as Bureau of Indian Affairs General Assistance, Tribal TANF, or Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations;
3. Participates in the National School Lunch Program or the School Breakfast Program, including through the USDA Community Eligibility Provision;
4. Received a Federal Pell Grant during the current award year; or
5. Meets the eligibility criteria for a participating provider's existing low-income internet program.
The Blue Hill Peninsula - ACP Program Status
Numbers are percent eligible vs. those enrolled, based on parameters noted on ACP Program Status "GitHub" site link.
Location - %
Maine - 30.5%
Blue Hill - 12
Brooklin - 9
Brooksville - 8
Castine - 10
Deer Isle - 11
Orland - 20
Penobscot - 7
Sedgwick - 7 (Sargentville - 3%)
Stonington - 18
Surry - 12
Numbers are percent eligible vs. those enrolled, based on parameters noted on ACP Program Status "GitHub" site link.
Location - %
Maine - 30.5%
Blue Hill - 12
Brooklin - 9
Brooksville - 8
Castine - 10
Deer Isle - 11
Orland - 20
Penobscot - 7
Sedgwick - 7 (Sargentville - 3%)
Stonington - 18
Surry - 12
The New Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) - https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/03/affordable-connectivity-program-faq/
The Cost Sheet Below WILL CHANGE!
Those who qualify & subscribe will have a lower cost Base Service option (i.e. no cost).
Updated flyer will be available by May.
Please apply and subscribe if you qualify. More to come!
Those who qualify & subscribe will have a lower cost Base Service option (i.e. no cost).
Updated flyer will be available by May.
Please apply and subscribe if you qualify. More to come!
BASIC DEFINITIONS
Digital Equity: The National Digital Inclusion Alliance (NDIA) defines digital equity as “a condition in which all individuals and communities have the information technology capacity needed for full participation in our society, democracy, and economy.”
Digital Inclusion: Digital inclusion involves the activities necessary to ensure equitable access to and use of information and communication technologies for participation in social and economic life including for education, social services, health, social and community participation.
Digital inclusion includes:
- access to affordable broadband Internet services,
- Internet-enabled devices,
- access to digital literacy training,
- quality technical support, and applications
- and online content designed to enable and encourage self-sufficiency, participation, and collaboration.
As many services have moved online and with the increasing use of telehealth to deliver primary care, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, digital inclusion, including digital literacy and internet access is increasingly regarded as a social determinant of health.[2]
REFERENCES
1. Wilson, Chris K.; Thomas, Julian; Barraket, Jo (2019-06-30). "Measuring Digital Inequality in Australia: the Australian Digital Inclusion Index". Journal of Telecommunications and the Digital Economy. 7 (2): 102–120. doi:10.18080/jtde.v7n2.187. ISSN 2203-1693. S2CID 201305031.
2. Sieck, Cynthia J.; Sheon, Amy; Ancker, Jessica S.; Castek, Jill; Callahan, Bill; Siefer, Angela (2021). "Digital inclusion as a social determinant of health". NPJ Digital Medicine. 4 (1): 52. doi:10.1038/s41746-021-00413-8. ISSN 2398-6352. PMC 7969595. PMID 33731887.
DIGITAL EQUITY & INCLUSION!
www.maineconnectivity.org/regional-broadband-partners
