Brian David is tackling a national challenge that we frequently discuss on NextGenWeb – broadband adoption.   As leader of the FCC’s Adoption & Usage team, David is considering short- and long-term solutions to ensure that everyone with access to broadband chooses to embrace it.  With only 71 days left until the National Broadband Plan is delivered to Congress, David is far along in his quest and shared some of his insights with Broadband Census Breakfast attendees this morning.

Those who follow the issues involved in the digital divide were quite pleased with the front page coverage by The Washington Post of the issue over the weekend, and David was no exception.  He quoted the following excerpt of the piece to illustrate how important home broadband adoption is:

“The 11-year-old’s mind whirls with the complicated and stressful options available to get her assignments done, since her family has no reliable Internet service at home. She could work after classes in her Fairfax County school’s computer lab, but it is open just two days a week. The library has free computers, but time online is limited if it’s busy. Finding rides is tough.

‘I see my friends do their work, and I struggle to get the access I need. It makes me sad,’ said Julija…”

As the role of the Internet grows in education, government services, job searching, and more everyday functions, it is increasingly important that people have Internet access in their homes.  While more than 90% of Americans have access to broadband today, we know that only 2 out of 3 of us have active high-speed Internet subscriptions in our homes.  David is one of many—in the government and in our communities—who’s out to close that gap.  As for goals, David hopes that the current 65% adoption rate will increase to the 70’s by 2015, and he hopes for 88-90% in the longer term.  “Digital literacy will play a big role,” David added.

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