Bridging the digital divide

The lack of access to broadband in rural areas is not a new problem. It, similar to other dormant issues like hunger and childcare, has become more apparent and urgent due to the pandemic. Tompkins County has recently signed on to join Chemung, Schuyler, Steuben, Tioga and Yates counties in a Regional Municipal Broadband Initiative (see cover story for details) in an effort to seek solutions.

According to Newfield Town Board member Joanne James, the first step for Tompkins County is a study conducted by the nonprofit Southern Tier Network (STN) to determine exactly where the gaps in coverage exist and come up with a plan to address them.

“Newfield has committed $5,000 to the overall cost of the study,” James said. “I’m really excited that Katherine Borgella, commissioner of planning and sustainability (and Newfield resident), has agreed to be the county’s point person for the project.”

Tompkins County Legislator Anna Kelles addressed the topic at the Newfield Town Board meeting Oct. 22.

“Here in Tompkins County, our priority is the rural areas,” Kelles said. “We have made it clear to STN that our goal is universal broadband, defined at 100 kbps, and last-mile fiber.”

Though maps created by the NYS Broadband Program show residential availability in Tompkins County at close to 100%, those of us who live in the hills and valleys of Newfield and other rural areas of the county know that the reality is far different. Last-mile fiber means that the plan would detail connectivity, not only to every road in the county but to every house on that road.

Once the plan is in place, it would allow STN to apply for state and federal grant monies to complete the installation. Not new to this work, Southern Tier Network has been in operation for 10 years and has laid more than 500 miles of fiber.

“Because STN, a nonprofit entity affiliated with municipalities, would own the infrastructure, it would allow ISPs [Internet Service Providers] to compete,” Kelles said. “That would result in better service to the customer.”

Competition should also help to reduce the cost, another barrier to internet access. One single mother in Newfield, who asked to remain anonymous, said that even though the internet is available where she lives, she cannot afford it.

“My neighbor was kind enough to share his Wi-Fi password so that my daughter can access her virtual learning,” she said. “Otherwise, I don’t know what we would do.”

Even so, her daughter is frustrated by dropped connections, resulting in an accumulation of absences and bandwidth that is insufficient to upload assignments.

“This child has huge dreams, and she’s working so hard,” her mother said. “It’s not right that lack of computer access should limit her education.”

While the outcomes of the regional initiative have the potential to benefit many Newfield residents and businesses, those results will not be seen for quite some time. The study itself is expected to take place over eight months. So, what relief is available to Newfielders who struggle to work and learn from home in the meantime?

The Newfield Public Library is doing what it can and exploring additional methods of providing support.

“Residents can access the library’s free Wi-Fi either outside or by appointment inside the building,” said Director Sue Chaffee. “Appointments are generally for 15 to 30 minutes but can run longer if no one else is signed up for the next slot.”

Chaffee reported that several families do take advantage of the library’s Wi-Fi and devices on a regular basis. Others choose to borrow one of the 10 hotspots available for loan that can be signed out for up to two weeks at a time.

“Even they [the hotspots] don’t work everywhere in Newfield, but for those who have an adequate cell signal, they can provide a solution,” Chaffee said.

Chaffee said she hopes to expand services to reach families who may not have the means to get to the library.

“I know there are people who could use these hotspots where they live but who don’t have transportation,” Chaffee said. “I want to bring the library to them — think bookmobile, but in my car.”

She plans to take not only hotspots but also books and magazines to trailer parks and other outlying areas, issuing library cards and loaning materials from her trunk.

The library is not alone in searching for creative ways to provide equitable access. Sunny Miller, newly appointed director of technology for the Newfield School District, had to scramble this fall to ensure that all the district’s students had a means to connect for both in school and online learning.

“Broadband access is only part of the problem when it comes to the digital divide,” Miller said. “The crisis we faced in the spring provided an opportunity for the district to reassess, readjust and reimagine its digital strategy.”

Working with the network specialist, Miller quickly developed a plan to roll out 1:1 devices (a device for every student) to those returning to the classroom. The immediate disadvantage of too many students and too few devices led to some creative problem-solving and support from regional partners, according to Miller.

The team moved quickly to dismantle computer labs and prepare desktops and tablets to deploy to students. Those families who needed devices for virtual learning were also the benefactors of Groton Central School Districts’ generous donation of 100 Chromebooks.

“The team remarkably, and with many barriers, hurdles and setbacks, has deployed devices to every reporting student in just one month and to every virtual family requesting a device,” Miller reported.

Not stopping there, Miller is now turning her attention to the issue of connectivity, seeking a grant from T-Mobile to add as many as 150 hotspots to district devices for student use at home.

“It’s not a perfect solution — there won’t be enough to go around, and the data on each hotspot will be limited — but it’s one more step we can take,” Miller said.