Bridging the Digital Divide

 Since the Internet’s infancy in the 1970s to the great leaps in technology of the mid-to-late 1990s, to the exponential growth of the past 30 years, the Internet has become essential to our everyday lives. The internet is deeply ingrained in nearly every aspect of our lives including education, healthcare, and our work. Unfortunately, not everyone has equal access to this essential resource, commonly referred to as the digital divide.

To be sure, great leaps have been made in providing access to the Internet. But for those who still do not have access, either because of financial strain, or lack of availability, this creates a significant disadvantage.

Rocco B. Commisso, CEO of Mediacom, founded the company in 1995 with one goal in mind: to bring “…residents and businesses in America’s smaller cities and towns advanced TV, internet, and phone services that would allow them to keep pace with the country’s most populated urban areas.” Since then, Mediacom has made significant strides in bridging the digital divide by expanding broadband access to underserved communities across twenty-two states in the U.S.

Grants

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape and our understanding of why we so badly need to close the digital divide. When we were all suddenly stuck at home, trying to work and learn remotely, the ability to access the Internet suddenly became crucial. Since 2020, Mediacom has successfully completed over twenty broadband grant projects. These projects, funded by various state and federal agencies, have resulted in the installation of 277 miles of fiber, providing high-speed internet to 4,635 homes spanning across seven states: Alabama, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

These grant projects continue to be rolled out across our footprint and beyond. We are currently building an additional 2,640 miles of fiber, providing high-speed internet to over 30,000 unserved and underserved locations. To follow our progress please follow out Facebook page here (link: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557464913726), and to find out more about the work being done nationwide you can watch the short film, created as a project of the NCTA – The Internet and Television Association – and Washington Post Live, here: (link: https://film.ncta.com/ ).

Other Initiatives

Xtream Connect(link: https://mediacomcable.com/xtream-connect/)  is an additional resource for low-income families with students, providing access to affordable, reliable internet service with free installation, no download usage limits, or contracts. Please check the website to see if your family qualifies.