Mobile Access and the Less-Connected

Rising rates of mobile phone use among minorities has raised questions about whether technology disparities are disappearing with the popularity of wireless technologies. For most, smart phone use is a supplement to home broadband yet about 4 percent of the population accesses the Internet primarily through cell phones. This group tends to be low-income, less-educated, young, African-American, and Latino. Controlling for other factors, smart phone users are significantly less likely than those with home broadband to engage in activities online, including human capital enhancing activities for work, health, education, and government services. Like others who are "less-connected"-Internet users who depend upon public access or slow dial-up, mobile-only users also demonstrate less knowledge about the Internet. This chapter provides empirical support for the importance of home broadband access for digital citizenship, or the ability to participate in society online.