Digital Divide 2.0 from Center for Rural Policy & Development

© Center for Rural Policy & Development

The Digital Divide

2.0November 2012

Center for Rural Policy and Development

St. Peter, MN


2012 Minnesota Internet Survey

Began in 2001

Developed as a way to measure the adoption rate of computers, Internet use and broadband across rural Minnesota

In 2005, the Twin Cities metropolitan counties were added to provide comparison

In 2012, cell phones added to capture the population of cell phone-only households; 26% of households statewide.


Here’s where we’re at…


A redefined Digital Divide

Digital Divide 1.0 Digital Divide 2.0


The Digital Divide 2.0

As broadband adoption reaches its saturation point in Minnesota, there are three main trends.

Remaining non-adopters

The mobile Internet

Speed


The remaining non-adopters

“Hard-core” non-adopters

The oldest age group and the youngest age group are the most likely to not purchase Internet access at home.

Attitude, affordability, alternatives define the reasons among the oldest and youngest consumers


“How important is it that you be able to access broadband in your home?”

1 Not

Impo

rtan

t

2 So

mew

hat n

ot im

portan

t

3 Neu

tral

4 So

mew

hat i

mpo

rtan

t

5 Ver

y Im

portan

t0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

RuralMetro

Among all households


Importance of home access by age

Percentage reporting

“very important”

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

RuralMetro


Broadband adoption by age

Percentage of all households

18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

RuralMetro


Broadband adoption by income

Percentage of all households

< $25

,000

$25,

000

to $

39,0

00

$40,

000

to $

49,0

00

$50,

000

to $

74,0

00

$75,

000

to $

99,0

00

$100

,000

to $

150,

000

$150

,000

+

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

RuralMetro


Income by age statewide


Mobility

Young people are the most likely to use mobile devices

2010 Pew Internet & American Life study found that 84% of people age 18-29 use a cell phone or laptop to access the Internet.


How we access the Internet at home

Home computer

Tablet computer

Cell phone

Gaming device

Other0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

RuralMetro

Among households

with a home Internet

connection “Other” included e-readers, video devices such as Roku, netbooks, and iPods.


Accessing broadband outside the home

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

RuralMetroAmong households

reporting that they accessed the

Internet somewhere outside

their home.


Speed

Difficult to measure

Recent report by the Hudson Institute states that rural America is behind in bandwidth and it will have an impact

Clues indicate that rural Minnesota is running behind the metro when it comes to bandwidth


Satisfied with the speed of your connection?

Said “Yes”:

Metro: 86%

Rural: 78%


What we do online

Rural Metro

Send and receive email 96.2% 98.6%

Check the weather 88.7% 89.3%

Access news web sites 79.9% 82.6%

Research a purchase you're planning 79.6% 86.3%

Purchase something at an online store or auction 77.6% 84.0%

Do banking, pay bills or other financial business online 77.2% 85.4%

Use social media 75.1% 81.8%

Stay informed on community news and events 69.6% 69.6%

Share photos 69.3% 79.8%

Research medical information 63.9% 70.1%

Top ten activities online

among households with a home Internet

connection


Fastest growing activities

Social media

Staying informed on community news and events

Watching/streaming movies or TV shows

Placing a phone call over the Internet

Playing games online with other gamers

Selling goods or services online

Communicating with your doctor, nurse, or other caregiver


Still a large gap with some activities…

Rural Metro

Difference(Percentage

points)

Watch movies or TV shows 46% 71% 25

Download music or video files 55% 73% 18

Share photos 69% 80% 11

Communicate with doctor or nurse or other caregiver 13% 23% 10

Do work for employer at home 33% 44% 10

There is still a large gap

between rural and metro in

some activities.


Trends to watch: Non-adopters

Young people as non-adopters is a trend worth monitoring.

May not see a need for a home Internet connection.

Will it go the way of the landline phone?


Trends to watch:Mobility

Young people are the big adopters of mobile technology.

How are their expectations of what they need or are willing to buy changing?

What does this mean for a community with no wi-fi hot spots or poor cell phone reception?


Trends to watch:Speed

Speed/bandwidth will define the “haves” and “have nots.”

Many proposed solutions for rural issues rely on large amounts of bandwidth. Distance learning Remote health care Business

Will communities that are not prepared with adequate bandwidth be passed over?


What does this mean?

Technology and ideas move faster than public policy.

Need to ensure that the solutions being proposed now will address the trends developing for the future.


2012 Minnesota Internet Survey

To find out more about the survey and to download a copy of the report,

visit our web site at www.ruralmn.org

Documents

Digital Divide 2.0 from Center for Rural Policy & Development