[1st-mile-nm] NTIA: EXPLORING THE DIGITAL NATION

[Richard Lowenberg]

A quick review of the maps and state numbers at the end of the 
document, indicates that New Mexico is still ranked near last among all 
states for broadband adoption and computer use (2011 Census data).   
This is primarily true for rural areas, but is also an issue in our 
urban areas.   It is interesting to compare NM with other large western 
states, doing better.   It seems that there was no data for some 
southern states (Arkansas, Mississippi) which do rank lower than NM.

I would urge our Governor, Legislators and communities to focus 
dedicated attention on this problem and ways to address the challenge to 
move forward, as it directly impacts jobs, education, healthcare and 
other aspects of our eco-social well-being.

RL

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In a new report, Exploring the Digital Nation: America’s Emerging 
Online Experience, the National Telecommunications and Information 
Administration (NTIA) examines how Americans connect to the Internet and 
what Americans do once they get online.

The report, co-authored with the Economics and Statistics 
Administration, confirms the dramatic growth in the number of Americans 
who are going online to perform important tasks like applying for jobs, 
looking up health information, and learning about current events. The 
new report, for the first time in eight years, explores how and why 
Americans go online. It is based on the U.S. Census Bureau’s July 2011 
Current Population Survey (CPS) Computer and Internet Use Supplement, 
and includes information collected from 53,500 households. While most 
Americans still used a desktop or laptop computer to go online in 2011, 
mobile device use grew significantly, with more than a third of 
Americans reporting that they used their mobile phones to access the 
Internet. The report also found that almost all users who used the 
Internet at home did so via a broadband connection.

The July 2011 CPS data collection gathered information on a broad range 
of online activities. This report focuses primarily on three areas – 
employment, health, and civic engagement – that are particularly 
important for society. The CPS data suggest that widespread Internet use 
benefits society, that mobile devices further increase these benefits, 
and that the Internet’s great utility leads users to go online regularly 
and rely on it in their daily lives.

http://www.ntia.doc.gov/report/2013/exploring-digital-nation-americas-emerging-online-experience


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Richard Lowenberg, Executive Dir.
1st-Mile Institute, 505-603-5200
P.O.Box 8001, Santa Fe, NM 87504
www.1st-mile.org  rl at 1st-mile.org
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