This article begins by stating the importance of internet access for daily life, something pretty much all articles on internet accessibility start with. This past summer, the city of Philadelphia had partnered with Wilco Electronic Systems to survey the city and elucidate how internet accessibility in the city was. Access to high speed internet jumped 14% in 2020, going from 70% in 2019 to 84% in 2021. 91% of families with school-aged children have high-speed internet which, in part, is due to programs like PHLConnectED. Only 9% of city households use a discounted internet provider like Comcast Internet Essentials or PHLConnectedED (the article does not list what % of the city is eligible for these programs). Another 17% of low-income households have their internet discounted in some way.
56% of those without high speed internet listed affordability as a major obstacle, something that the city interpreted as a reason to expand education programs about their discounted programs.
Although 84% of Philadelphia households have high speed internet access, only 77% of Hispanic households do. And 81% of Philadelphia households have either a computer or tablet, only 78% of Black households do and only 71% of Hispanic households do.
32% of Philadelphia Households are experiencing subscription vulnerability (a term I had never heard before, but do appreciate).
This article was only a brief overview of the report, which I will be uploading as an artist and analyzing on my own time. It's also worth reminding that in America, what we consider "high speed" is still inadquite in many cases, especially since those standards were made before the pandemic.
Maggie Mancini, 25 October 2021, "Growing number of Philadelphia households have high-speed internet, city survey finds", contributed by Andrew Rosenthal, The Energy Rights Project, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 25 October 2021, accessed 20 April 2024. https://energyrights.info/content/growing-number-philadelphia-households-have-high-speed-internet-city-survey-finds
Critical Commentary
This article begins by stating the importance of internet access for daily life, something pretty much all articles on internet accessibility start with. This past summer, the city of Philadelphia had partnered with Wilco Electronic Systems to survey the city and elucidate how internet accessibility in the city was. Access to high speed internet jumped 14% in 2020, going from 70% in 2019 to 84% in 2021. 91% of families with school-aged children have high-speed internet which, in part, is due to programs like PHLConnectED. Only 9% of city households use a discounted internet provider like Comcast Internet Essentials or PHLConnectedED (the article does not list what % of the city is eligible for these programs). Another 17% of low-income households have their internet discounted in some way.
56% of those without high speed internet listed affordability as a major obstacle, something that the city interpreted as a reason to expand education programs about their discounted programs.
Although 84% of Philadelphia households have high speed internet access, only 77% of Hispanic households do. And 81% of Philadelphia households have either a computer or tablet, only 78% of Black households do and only 71% of Hispanic households do.
32% of Philadelphia Households are experiencing subscription vulnerability (a term I had never heard before, but do appreciate).
This article was only a brief overview of the report, which I will be uploading as an artist and analyzing on my own time. It's also worth reminding that in America, what we consider "high speed" is still inadquite in many cases, especially since those standards were made before the pandemic.