The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is kicking off a statewide ‘Internet for All’ listening tour to gather input from Massachusetts residents about ways to address digital equity and to identify barriers to internet access. The series will be held in cities and towns across the Commonwealth where community members can provide feedback to state leaders, input which will directly inform state proposals tied to federal funding that will identify digital equity gaps, help grow the availability of internet-connected devices, boost digital literacy statewide, and increase access to affordable and reliable broadband service.
The first regional listening session in the series will be hosted at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro South in Brockton on September 7, 2023, from 5-7 p.m. A virtual option will also be offered for residents who are unable to attend in-person. The listening session will include a small group discussion and roundtable format, which will allow residents to share their experiences, suggestions, and vision on ways the state can help bring more affordable and accessible internet to their communities. Register here
In addition to attending one of the statewide Listening Sessions, residents are also encouraged to take the statewide Digital Equity survey, which is another tool the MBI is using to inform its statewide planning. The MBI has also convened on behalf of the Commonwealth a Broadband and Digital Equity Working Group, made up of key stakeholders from municipal, state, community, and non-profit partners representing underserved groups statewide. Focus groups will also be hosted with groups that have been negatively impacted by the digital divide, sessions co-hosted with organizations across the state.
These outreach programs are funded through the support of the Biden-Harris Administration’s Internet For All Initiative, which announced $6 million in planning grants to Massachusetts – $5 million for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, and $1 million for the State Digital Equity Planning Grant Program through the bipartisan infrastructure law. The listening sessions will help inform the requirements for the state to develop statewide broadband plans that will create strategic, data-driven roadmaps to achieve universal access and digital equity across the state. These efforts will be supported by the June 2023 award of $147 million to increase high-speed internet service across Massachusetts.
