NDIA recently responded to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s (NTIA) Request for Comment on Local Estimates of Internet Adoption (LEIA).
Project LEIA is designed to estimate local internet adoption rates by examining internet access rates, connection type, income, usage patterns, barriers to adoption, basic demographic breakdowns, and trends over time through use of NTIA’s Internet Use Survey and American Community Survey (ACS) Data. This data holds immense potential for shaping policy decisions and resource allocation. We believe that LEIA can be a powerful tool for local, regional, and state digital equity initiatives. Specifically, LEIA data can help identify areas with low adoption rates and the factors driving disparities, which is critical for addressing gaps in internet access in rural and underserved communities. Our comments focus on 6 key areas:
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Enhancing Federal Programs with LEIA Data
Project LEIA could be instrumental in shaping the future of the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) (or a successor program) and the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. By providing precise, localized data, LEIA can inform policy recommendations, helping federal and local leaders prioritize funding and interventions in areas most in need. LEIA’s data could also be integrated into broader federal digital inclusion and telehealth initiatives, further amplifying its impact on programs such as the Digital Equity Competitive Grant Program and the FCC’s Digital Discrimination enforcement efforts.
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Expanding LEIA’s Reach to Smaller Geographies
Currently, LEIA provides internet adoption estimates at the county level, but we recommend expanding this to smaller geographies like census tracts to allow for a more granular understanding of adoption disparities and target interventions more effectively. Additionally, providing estimates for the “Covered Populations” defined in the Digital Equity Act—such as low-income households, racial and ethnic minorities, and individuals with disabilities—would offer critical insights for tailoring digital equity programs and measuring their impact.
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Leveraging Diverse Data Sources for Deeper Insights
We encouraged NTIA to incorporate various data sources into Project LEIA to provide a more comprehensive picture of digital equity. This includes tribal-specific data, social vulnerability indices, and health disparity data, which often correlate with digital access and skills. Local datasets, such as state education department data on student internet access, could also enhance the accuracy of LEIA’s tract-level estimates.
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Expanding Metrics to Understand Internet Use
We encouraged NTIA to expand beyond wired internet subscription rates and include additional metrics from the American Community Survey (ACS) and the NTIA Internet Use Survey. These metrics could capture the reasons behind non-adoption—such as cost or lack of digital skills—and provide insights into how people use the internet, whether for telework, education, or healthcare. Such data would be invaluable for informing digital inclusion strategies that address the specific needs of different communities.
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Making LEIA Data Actionable at the Local Level
In our comments, we asked NTIA to develop tools that allow local governments and community-based organizations to visualize and interact with LEIA data. By making the data more accessible and actionable, NTIA could empower local leaders to better understand their communities’ digital divide.
Additionally, we highlight the importance of incorporating longitudinal data into LEIA, to allow policymakers and practitioners to track changes and measure the efficacy of digital equity and broadband deployment programs over time.
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Protecting Privacy While Enhancing Utility
Lastly, we urged NTIA to prioritize data privacy, especially when estimating internet adoption in smaller geographies. Ensuring the anonymization of sensitive data will be essential for protecting individual privacy while still providing valuable insights for policymakers and community organizations.
You can find our full comments here: NDIA Comments on Project LEIA