Cities and a Digital Society

This introductory chapter argues that cities are important venues for national broadband policy, and that federal programs have not addressed market failures in urban areas, such as slow speeds and high costs. Policymakers must consider how place matters for technology use, and the subsequent chapters explore the significance of context across multiple layers of geography; from a comparison of urban, suburban, and rural patterns of access to the neighbourhoods of Chicago. Cities are uniquely positioned to advance innovative uses of broadband in the economy and public institutions. Moreover, there are substantial disparities in access in cities and metropolitan areas, where most of the population lives. Experimenting with new applications in cities and addressing barriers such as cost would have a greater impact than reliance on rural infrastructure to close technology gaps.