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Panelists at Connected America gathered recently to focus on the past, present, and future of digital issues in Texas and the country.

The digital divide in Texas is often marked by geographical lines, such as in the city of Dallas, where nearly 10 percent of residents are still without internet access, mostly to the south of Interstate 30.

That’s according to William Zielinski, the chief information officer for the City of Dallas, who joined a panel about digital connectivity in Texas at Connected America this week in Irving.

“You still see a lot of those deserts that exist in the south of the City of Dallas,” he said, referring to so-called digital infrastructure deserts, where connectivity is either lacking or non-existent.

Zielinski said 10 percent of Dallas’ population represents upwards of 130,000 city residents who don’t have internet access. He said he would like to assume that all residents of the city have connectivity, but that is simply not the case.

Officials in Dallas were already creating a digital access plan before the pandemic, according to Zielinski, but those efforts became accelerated during the recovery from COVID-19 after the pandemic highlighted the digital divide in the city.

Other panelists agreed, like Maile Martinez, the director of broadband and digital equity at HR&A Advisors Inc, a consulting firm that has a stated mission that includes helping their clients bridge the digital divide.

Panel spotlights the importance of public awareness about digital divides

Martinez said there is still a lag in the public’s comprehension of the importance of digital equity.

“People are starting to understand the concept of digital equity and digital opportunity,” she said, and added that it is important for organizations to track progress “so people understand where their communities are and where they’re going.”

Catherine Crago, the head of strategic initiatives at the City of Austin’s housing authority, emphasized the importance of local coalitions when it comes to improving digital access and advancing awareness of the digital gaps that exist in society.

“Those (coalitions) are so important because it gives us a shared language,” she said.

Toni Beck, vice president of external affairs at Comcast, also said the pandemic changed everything in the world of connectivity.

“We saw a threefold increase in capacity demand overnight,” she said.

Beck said the pandemic increased Comcast’s commitment to local groups, many of which are self-organized, that are dedicated to advancing digital equity in communities around the country.

She said Comcast has taken time to go into communities early and forge relationships. Beck said it has become source of pride for her company.

‘You have to see around corners’

Megan Steckly, the CEO of Compudopt, a non-profit with a mission of providing technology access to under-resourced youth and communities, highlighted where the industry needs to begin thinking about the next part of the digital equity conversation.

Steckly said only roughly 35 percent of schools nationwide teach computer science, despite the fact that it is one of the fastest-growing professional fields in the world.

Beck’s sentiments agreed and she said the industry must continue to look forward.

“You have see around corners,” she said.

The future will likely bring increased demand for more data, streaming, gaming, and devices, Beck said.

With increased usage, digital vulnerabilities will also increase. Beck said increased demand will only increase the importance of network security functions and educating users to the importance of online safety.

In addition to preparing for more demand, Beck said the industry must prepare for more extreme weather events, which climatologists at NASA say are now occurring with increased frequency.

“We have to start preparing now for what’s coming down the road,” she said.

Reach Brad Randall at brad.randall@totaltele.com.