Characterizing Internet Access and Quality Inequities in California M-Lab Measurements
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It is well documented that, in the United States (U.S.), the availability of Internet access is related to several demographic attributes. Data collected through end user network diagnostic tools, such as the one provided by the Measurement Lab (M-Lab) Speed Test, allows the extension of prior work by exploring the relationship between the quality, as opposed to only the availability, of Internet access and demographic attributes of users of the platform. In this study, we use network measurements collected from the users of Speed Test by M-Lab and demographic data to characterize the relationship between the quality-of-service (QoS) metric download speed, and various critical demographic attributes, such as income, education level, and poverty. For brevity, we limit our focus to the state of California. For users of the M-Lab Speed Test, our study has the following key takeaways: (1) geographic type (urban/rural) and income level in an area have the most significant relationship to download speed; (2) average download speed in rural areas is 2.5 times lower than urban areas; (3) the COVID-19 pandemic had a varied impact on download speeds for different demographic attributes; and (4) the U.S. Federal Communication Commission’s (FCC’s) broadband speed data significantly over-represents the download speed for rural and low-income communities compared to what is recorded through Speed Test.Keywords:
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This study focused on Internet access and usage by staff and students in the University of Jos Main Library. It investigated monthly number of users that queued to access Internet monthly and the number of users who actually had access to use the Internet between January – December 2006. Other things investigated include users satisfaction of the use of Internet, gender percentages as well as percentages of staff and students that used the Internet during the period. The study also investigated the adequacy of Internet facilities as well as problems users encountered during Internet usage. Findings revealed that majority of users that queued did not have access to use the Internet, and majority of those that had access were satisfied with the services. The number of Male users was more than that of female users and students used Internet in the lab more than staff. The study also revealed that Internet is mainly used in the lab for research and e-mail purposes, and Internet facilities available in the laboratory were grossly inadequate. Problems of Internet access and usage were identified, solutions proffered and recommendations were made.The Information Technologist Vol. 5 (1) 2008: pp. 160-170
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There is a considerable gap in the level of the Internet access charges among countries because of the history of the Internet use, current status of the Internet infrastructure, the Internet penetration rate, and so on. Low Internet access charge increases the number of the Internet users and the Internet penetration rate, which boosts economic activities. This paper empirically explores the impacts of the internet access charges on economic activities using a cross-country analysis based on data from 76 countries for the year 1998-2001. To this end, several versions of the neoclassical growth models, explicitly including the internet access charges, are estimated with the GDP used for a proxy for economic activities and the level of Internet access charges considered as an input to production. Subject to the appropriate caveats, the results show that the level of the Internet access charges make a significantly negative effect on economic activities. In other words, it is concluded that low Internet access charges of a county increase economic activities and the increased economic activities in turn raise the real income of the county.
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Most arguments in favor of the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA) assume that taxing Internet access would reduce Internet use. The authors investigate this possibility empirically, making use of panel data covering all U.S. states for the years 1998, 2000, and 2001. Statutory variation in the taxation of Internet access occurs because 10 states were permitted to continue their existing Internet access taxes as of the initial passage of the ITFA in 1998. None of the econometric analyses provides any evidence that Internet access taxes have had an effect on Internet access rates.
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본 연구에서는 사회경제적 특성에 따라 인터넷 접근, 인터넷 이용 정도 및 인터넷 서비스 이용 상의 디지털 격차가 어떻게 달라지는가를 체계적으로 규명하고자 하였다. 이를 위해 본 연구에서는 한국인터넷진흥원의 인터넷이용자실태조사 데이터를 이용하여 사회경제적 특성에 따른 인터넷 접근과 인터넷 이용(양적 이용 정도, 인터넷 서비스 이용)의 디지털 격차를 로지스틱 회귀분석방법으로 검증하였다. 분석결과, 인터넷 접속(가정에서의 인터넷 접속, 초고속 인터넷 접속)과 인터넷 이용정도(적극적 이용, 정기적 이용, 비정기적 이용)는 연령, 성별, 교육수준, 고용상태, 소득수준, 인터넷 접속 유형 등에 따라 디지털 격차가 존재하는 것으로 나타났다. 인터넷 서비스 이용(정보 활용, 커뮤니케이션 및 커뮤니티, 전자상거래, 인터넷 뱅킹)의 경우 고학력자 및 고소득층이며, 학생이고 젊은 연령층일수록 인터넷 서비스를 많이 활용하는 것으로 나타나 사회경제적 특성에 따른 인터넷 서비스 활용 격차가 존재하는 것으로 검증되었다. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the socio-economic differentials of Internet access and use. Data from '2008 Korean Internet usage behavior' were used to conduct logistic regression analysis. The findings show that there are significant socio-economic(age, gender, educational attainment, employment situation, and Internet access type) disparity in Internet access(Internet access at home, broadband Internet access). Also socio-economic variables enter in as statistically significant in most specifications for Internet use intensity (Intensive internet use, frequent internet use, less frequent internet use). The gender, household income and education attainment explanations for large differential in Internet use intensity are generally very similar. It is shown that age, education attainment and household income level cause a large digital divide on Internet service use(information use, communication and community use, e-commerce use, Internet banking use).
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The Internet in Nigeria is a veritable tool to access information due to the poor economic situation and the non availability of current library materials. This study attempted to find out the level of use of the Internet and problems faced by information professionals. Thirty - two information professionals were selected from three university libraries in South West Nigeria and the questionnaire was used for data collection. The Internet w as used mainly for Electronic mails and the main access point was through cybercafes. Slow Internet connection, cost of bandwidth and little knowledge of Internet facilities were the major problems highlighted.
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To determine if patients from a community health clinic have access to computers and/or the Internet and if they believe a computer is useful in their medical care.A convenience sample of 100 subjects, aged 50 years and older, from a community health clinic in Nashville, Tennessee, completed a structured interview and a health literacy assessment.Of the 100 participants, 40 did not have any computer access, 27 had computer but not Internet access, and 33 had Internet access. Participants with computer access (with or without Internet) had higher incomes, higher educational status, and higher literacy status than those without computer access. Of participants reporting current computer use (n = 54), 33% reported never using their computer to look up health and medical information. Of those who "never'' used their computer for this activity, 54% reported they did not have Internet connectivity, whereas 31% reported they did not know how to use the Internet. Although this group of individuals reported that they were comfortable using a computer (77%), they reported being uncomfortable with accessing the Internet (53%).Not only does access to computers and the Internet need to be improved before widespread use by patients, but computer users will need to be instructed on how to navigate the Internet.
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The Internet has generally been viewed as a means for creating “digital opportunity” for America’s students. Students across the K-16 continuum are using the Internet to enhance their learning and educational prospects. In the early 1990s, it became clear that incorporating computer and Internet use into classroom learning and the daily lives of children in general would be essential to their growth as citizens of the world. At that time, Internet connections were available in only 35 percent of schools; less than 15 percent of households had computer modems. Since then, the increase in access to the Internet in schools has been significant. In 2003: 93 percent of public schools offered Internet-connected computers in at least one instructional room; and, 90 percent of students had opportunities to use a computer in school.
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Access to the Internet increases rapidly among physicians as well as in the general populations. We have monitored Norwegian physicians' use of the Internet over several years.During the spring of 2000, 1,318 out of 1,589 (83%) Norwegian physicians answered a questionnaire which included several questions on their use of the Internet.Nine out of ten Norwegian physicians have Internet access and one out of four finds the Net useful or very useful in keeping professionally updated or in their daily work. Half of the physicians read e-mail several times per week, but only one out of ten receive e-mail from patients, most of them only occasionally. Physicians' access to the Internet has increased from 38% to 90% since 1997, particularly access from home. Two out of three general practitioners only have access to the Internet from home. Physicians with Internet access both from home and from work use the net more frequently for professional purposes than others and report a higher degree of usefulness of the Internet.The Internet is now an integrated part of physicians' daily life. Electronic communication between doctors and patients is, however, still infrequent and there may be a potential for improved doctor-patient-communication over the Internet.
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