Marin Voice: Strategic plan serves as a road map to a better digital future

The internet is a fundamental element of our lives. From our economy to education, it provides us with access to opportunities and critical services.

The COVID-19 pandemic and other recent disruptive events underscore Marin’s need to end internet access inequalities and bridge the digital divide. Students need reliable home connections for distance learning. Families need online access to information and support services. Our businesses and growing remote workforce demand more from internet providers to remain competitive. High speed internet has become equal to water and electricity.

Marin’s physical access to the internet has been left in the hands of private companies that are not required and do not provide universal service. While this approach is not unusual, it created Marin’s lack of competition, inconsistent pricing and quality and service gaps in less profitable areas. These outcomes occur to varying degrees across Marin, even in affluent areas.

For example, 61% of Marin’s residents who responded to a recent survey reported that slowdowns and outages occur several times a year, with 20% experiencing problems on a daily basis. Additionally, when asked about their experience with Marin’s internet service, public safety officials reported that outages and inconsistent cell services hinder emergency response during disasters.

In 2019, the Marin County Board of Supervisors approved the development of a digital infrastructure strategic plan, which became the Digital Marin project. At the same time, the Marin County Civil Grand Jury released the Marin’s Telecommunications Disconnect Report underscoring the need for improved leadership and coordination of telecommunications efforts.

Digital Marin became a collaborative effort overseen by the County’s Information Services and Technology Department. It involved over 3,000 residents, business owners, community advocates, and employees from government, education, and other industries. The project heard from a cross section of Marin’s residents from third graders through our oldest adults who agree that internet access and the opportunities it brings are more than a luxury.

From the beginning, the Digital Marin project envisioned a future where everyone in Marin has access to universally available, affordable, reliable and safe broadband with robust devices, technical support and the digital literacy needed to take part in an ever increasing digital world. This vision also includes serving residents, businesses and other organizations better through public and private collaborations and sharing of data and resources.

Assessing Marin’s digital needs was the heart of the project and took the most time to complete. It better defined where Marin is experiencing the digital divide. While residents in five geographic areas – the Canal neighborhood, Marin City, two areas in Novato and West Marin – most disproportionately experience digital inequities, so do Marin’s older adults and people with disabilities. For example, one survey revealed that 57% of households in a Marin community did not have a computer at home. Public outreach also showed that the need for improved digital literacy, better devices and increased digital adoption cuts across all socio-economic groups.

The resulting strategic plan includes four community goals with recommended strategies and actions to achieve them:

• High-quality, reliable, resilient and safe internet service is available to everyone in Marin.

• Everyone in Marin can take advantage of all online opportunities by increasing access to affordable service and expanding digital literacy training and community-based programs to provide end user devices and support.

• Marin achieves a high rate of digital adoption by improving privacy, security and digital accessibility, addressing barriers through education and community problem solving, as well as increasing public value from investments in technology.

• Marin has a community driven organization with a mission of broadband for all.

On Tuesday, the Marin County Board of Supervisors considers adoption of the Digital Marin strategic plan to serve as a roadmap to a better digital future by creating leadership, governance, collaboration and actions that advance broadband deployment and digital adoption.

Digital Marin will also seek adoptions and endorsements from across Marin’s communities and sectors to increase chances of obtaining funding to move forward from planning to implementation. The strategic plan’s vision is bold but achievable if we continue to work together toward a better digital future.

For more information visit GoDigitalMarin.org and subscribe to our newsletter.

Liza Massey is chief information officer of Marin County and lead for the Digital Marin Project.