Data: Broadband Adoption in California, 2016 (Infographic)

Despite being home to Silicon Valley, California has many people who are underserved when it comes to broadband, according to the authors of a bill (AB 1665) that would use California Advanced Services Fund money to deliver broadband to the large swaths of the state that do not have access to reliable Internet service. Many rural communities have limited access, and 14 percent of residents only access the Internet using a smartphone, according to the 2016 Annual Survey on Broadband Adoption in California.

However, nearly three-quarters of surveyed local government officials believe broadband is important to business, the California Emerging Technology Fund’s Survey of Local Government Officials stated in 2016. Telemedicine and academic uses for connected devices are also considered important to residents. “These findings provide further evidence that it is vital the Legislature pass the Internet For All Now Act, which CETF will promote in the next legislative session,” said Sunne Wright-McPeak, CEO of CETF, on the bill’s website.

Here's an infographic we made that coalesces some of this data:



All data from internetforallnow.org

Studies included are: June 2015 CETF/The Field Poll study; “Opportunity for All? Technology and Learning in Lower Income Families” by Rutgers University; California Advanced Services 2015 Annual Report Field Poll; 2016 Annual Survey on Broadband Adoption in California