It is crucial to quantify the economic impact of bridging the divide to accurately valuate the options. Deloitte developed economic models to evaluate the relationship between broadband and economic growth. Based on their findings, a 10-percentage point increase of broadband penetration in 2016 would have resulted in more than 806,000 additional jobs in 2019, or an average annual increase of 269,000 jobs. There is a strong correlation between broadband availability and jobs and GDP growth. Higher broadband speeds will bring about noticeable growth in job growth but with diminishing returns. The findings from Deloitte also suggests that setting too high a threshold for broadband speeds (uplink and downlink) will discourage investments that promises new technologies yet do not fulfill the threshold. Furthermore, innovative solutions can help spawn a competitive broadband environment that improves broadband affordability for all households.
The answer to solving the digital divide is one that either investments from the private or public sector. With the correct guidelines in place, it will enable immediate yields in providing affordable access to underserved segments of the population and move the nation closer toward bridging the digital divide.
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