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<h1 dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-451"><img alt="fast internet connection speed" src="https://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/news/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-1.png" style="display:block; height:533px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:800px"></a></h1>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"> </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:center"><em>California caps 90% int connection, but low-income users lack access</em></p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">According to new statewide survey conducted by USC and the California Emerging Technology Fund, California owns a digital milestone when nearly 91% of its households have fast internet connection speed.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-9"><strong>California internet access survey reveals income’s role as a digital gatekeeper</strong></h2>

<p style="text-align:justify">That is up compared to 88% reported in 2019 by the biennial Statewide Survey on Broadband Adoption that monitors Californians’ digital access.</p>

<p style="text-align:justify">Moreover, about 85% of residents have used a desktop, laptop or tablet to connect to the internet. And fewer households connect to the Internet through smartphones</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-451"><img alt="fast internet connection speed" src="https://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/news/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-2.png" style="display:block; height:427px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></a></p>

<p style="text-align:center"><em>However, the latest survey also reveals some shortcomings of low-income California: 16% are unconnected and 10% depend on smartphones. They lack home internet when most officials are in response to the coronavirus pandemic.</em></p>

<ul dir="ltr">
<li style="text-align:justify">See also: <a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/internet-plans-for-home-249">Things to consider when choosing broadband Internet plans for home</a>
</li>
</ul>
<p style="text-align:justify">California has the highest number of low-income of any state, even it is the fifth-largest economy in the world. Income is a key determinant in whether a household has internet access. In detail, 29% of households having less than $40,000 income a year have no network connection or just access through a smartphone.</p>

<p style="text-align:justify">These residents had made progress in internet plans for home from 2014 to 2019, according to prior surveys, but the progress has slowed due to the pandemic.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">See also:</p>

<ul dir="ltr">
<li style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/speed-check-wifi-online-advice-for-home-wifi-during-corona-pandemic-157">Speed check Wifi online: Advice for home Wifi during CORONA pandemic</a></li>
	<li style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/role-of-website-test-speed-during-covid-19-pandemic-98">Role of website test speed during COVID-19 pandemic</a></li>
</ul>
<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Nearly 1 in 5 low-income households in the survey that currently have access reported going without internet for extensive periods. The main reason for the disconnection is expensive cost.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Some ISPs offer affordable plans for primarily low-income families with school-age children, unluckily, those programs are not known widely. There are 2 out of 3 unconnected and smartphone-just used did not know these opportunities. </p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-451"><img alt="fast internet connection speed" src="https://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/news/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-3.png" style="display:block; height:427px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></a></p>

<h2 dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify" id="tag-34"><strong>Notable regional, demographic disparities in access</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">The digital divide is both an urban and a rural issue: 19% of L.A. County and 20% of Central Valley households either have no connection or rely on smartphones.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">24% of Hispanics disconnected the Internet or limited using smartphones. While other groups connect to the Internet more. In detail, only 5% of whites are unconnected and only 4% of them are limited to smartphones.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">Inequity is displayed clearly among Hispanics justs speaking Spanish. There are 65% connecting to the Internet while 25% disconnection and 10% rely on smartphones.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">23% of Californians from 65 and older lack broadband, compared to an estimated 10% of Californians ages 50 to 64 and less than 5% ages 18 to 49. However, when including smartphones, 77% of seniors 65 and older are connected, an improvement from 68% two years ago.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify">27 percent of disabilities are unconnected or used smartphone to access the Internet, compared to 15% of the overall population.</p>

<p dir="ltr" style="text-align:justify"><a href="https://gospeedcheck.com/article/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-451"><img alt="fast internet connection speed" src="https://gospeedcheck.com/filemanager/data-images/news/california-caps-90-int-connection-but-low-income-users-lack-access-4.png" style="display:block; height:427px; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; width:640px"></a></p>

<p style="text-align:right"><em>Source from: https://news.usc.edu/183952/california-internet-access-usc-survey-broadband-connectivity/</em></p>
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