Cisco: U.S. Municipal Infrastructure Index 2021 - A report on the infrastructure priorities and challenges facing U.S. municipal leaders - Cisco ...
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Cisco: U.S. Municipal
Infrastructure Index
2021
A report on the infrastructure priorities and
challenges facing U.S. municipal leaders
Contents
3 The Costly Cord that Connects Us
5 A Tale of Connected Cities
7 From Luxury to Lifeline
8 The Greatest Barrier
9 Conclusion: Crossing the Bridge
2
The Costly Cord that Connects Us
Broadband access has become a vital necessity to
provide access to the economic, social, and health
opportunities that have become part of every day
life. “Funding is the only
thing that keeps us from
This report summarizes the results from a national
poll of U.S. city, county, town, and Tribal doing infrastructure
government leaders, to understand where projects.”
connectivity and technology upgrades fall in their
infrastructure plans and priorities.
-Survey Respondant
According to the poll, local government officials
across the U.S. say there is a critical need for major
broadband infrastructure improvements to realize
equitable access for all people in their communities.
More than 80% said broadband is “critical
infrastructure” and placed connectivity
improvements and upgrades near the top of their The need for affordable internet connectivity
priority project list. exists in every region of the country. The digital
divide is complex, and not based solely on an
The feedback from these government leaders individual's ability to afford broadband service.
underscored the pressing need to close the digital
divide and improve broadband technology country- A surveyed Tribal government leader shared that
wide. The data also supports the assumption that a high cost from the provider does not
the worldwide pandemic made high-speed internet necessarily equal high quality of service, and
and reliable connectivity crucial for every business, often, there is only one option. Rural communities
home, and government agency across the nation. are disproportionately affected by the traditional
economics of broadband connectivity.
Simply put, broadband is an integral part of
municipal infrastructure. It's the digital cord that The main stumbling block to reliable broadband
connects us and enables critical public services like connectivity is a lack of funding. More than three
healthcare, water and wastewater management, quarters of officials are concerned about the high
transportation, education, and economic growth. cost of broadband for their residents.
94% 80% 91% 70%
believe broadband is said high-speed believe internet access have "shovel-ready"
crucial for a well- internet is critical is critical to future infrastructure projects when
educated, informed public infrastructure economic growth funding becomes available
3
"While the internet is the backbone for smart city
infrastructure, it also lays a foundation for greater
social equitability. Residents without internet
access may struggle to access government
services, locate public amenities, telework, or
turn in their homework."
-Forbes, 2020
4
A Tale of Connected Cities
The response from these local leaders highlighted
one major difference between smart and connected
municipalities to those that lack technology
infrastructure; oftentimes where the need was vs
greatest, there was little to no planning for smart and
connected city integration underway.
Nearly half of the leaders polled said they have no
17% 48%
of rural officials of suburban
Smart City or connected infrastructure in place said they are officials said they
currently. This lack of connectivity exposes the glaring Smart City are Smart City
connected connected
disparities between suburban and rural areas. Only
17% of the officials in rural regions said they are
Smart City connected, while 48% of urban officials
said they have this technology infrastructure in place.
When viewed by community size, the gap in Smart
City technology is similar. Only 23% of communities
with a population of 10,000 or less have connected
infrastructure; 46% for communities of 100,000 or
more.
The South and Midwest regions also fell behind the
Northeast and West regarding Smart City or 51%
connected infrastructure. of communities surveyed have
plans to increase the use of
technology to modernize
Overall, 51% of communities surveyed have plans to infrastructure
increase the use of technology to modernize their
infrastructure. Suburban government officials,
followed by those from urban areas, were more likely
to have these plans in place at 57% and 56%
respectively.
Three-quarters of the survey participants were
concerned about the high cost of Internet for
residents and businesses. 66% said that the high 17% 46%
price tag means their community lacks equitable of communities of communities
with 10,000 with 100,000
Internet access across populations. This was residents or less residents or more
especially true among rural government leaders at a have Smart City have Smart City
technology technology
high 73%.
5
“As remote learning stretched
from weeks, to months, and then
to whole school terms, it became
clear that digital equality was
disproportionately affecting the
ability of students in lower-
income families to remain
engaged in school virtually.”
- New America, 2021
6
From Luxury to Lifeline
Decades before a global pandemic raced across the Top Public Projects in Need of
world, the digital divide was carving its way through
Modernization and Upgrades
the nation. COVID-19 changed behaviors and social
norms. Widespread adoption of virtual services 50%
relying on adequate connectivity, increased both
40%
dependance on broadband and the demand for it.
30%
In the U.S., government “stay-at-home” orders
20%
forced employees to work remotely through video
conferencing; school officials scrambled to get 10%
students laptops and hotspots for virtual classes
from their homes; patients and doctors exchanged
health care information through video calls; and
groceries were purchased online for delivery or He emphasized the FCC is working to help
pickup. improve affordability, along with digital skills
development to help people learn how to best
These options, however, are only possible for those use the internet to their advantage once they
with a reliable internet connection, widening the have it.
chasm between the connected and unconnected.
New America, a public policy think tank, studied the Underscoring the elevated role connectivity
pandemic’s impact on children from low-income plays in a healthy, equitable society, local
families and reported that one in seven children still government officials ranked broadband
do not have broadband internet access at home. infrastructure as the third most important public
project requiring modernization and upgrades,
Those in rural areas, Tribal lands, low-income on par with bridges, highways, and roads.
households, minority communities, and many school Taking precedence were drinking water,
districts most commonly lacked access to wastewater and stormwater systems, and
affordable, reliable broadband connectivity prior to building and facility improvements.
the pandemic.
While 80% of the local officials considered
They still remain underserved, and are at the highest broadband “critical infrastructure", funding is
risk of being left behind if we can't close the gap. commonly prioritized to water system
improvements and transportation. Yet, they
FCC Commissioner Geoffrey Starks said during a agreed technology infrastructure upgrades are
recent Cisco event July 19th that 30M households needed to modernize other infrastructure
simply can’t afford connectivity – and that includes systems which would rely on broadband
low-income people living in rural areas. connection.
7
The Greatest Barrier
Of those polled, 57% agreed
that communities need public-
private partnerships to
accomplish needed
infrastructure projects, but 48%
do not have those arrangements
in place.
Associations like the National League of Cities and Among local government officials who were polled,
the National Association of Counties (NACo) are 57% agreed that communities need public-private
advocating for faster action on expanding partnerships to accomplish needed infrastructure
broadband access. NACo developed a mobile projects, but 48% do not have those arrangements
app to test connectivity across the country and in place. More than two-thirds of urban areas, where
found that on average, half of the counties had public-private partnerships are more common,
internet speeds below federal standards. indicated this funding mechanism is in place in their
cities.
During the pandemic, Congress included
connectivity programs in two separate COVID-19 Local governments need federal financial support to
relief packages to help those most in need. The implement advanced, and cost-effective, broadband
first was a $3.2 billion Emergency Broadband technology that is vital to community health,
Benefit program helping eligible households pay education, and economic growth.
monthly internet fees, and a one-time discount to
purchase a laptop, computer, or tablet. The “(The) Pandemic has highlighted disparities created
second, a $7.17 billion Connectivity Fund by lack of broadband for students and businesses,”
Program, helped schools and libraries purchase one city manager stated. Progress is blocked by the
technology tools to improve connectivity with local unavailability of funds. Another county chief
students and patrons. executive affirmed “funding is the only thing that
keeps us from doing infrastructure projects.”
However, local leaders agree much more is
required to meet current and long-term goals.
8
Conclusion: Crossing the Bridge
"At a local level, public-private partnerships
are necessary. Synergies between public
service providers and technology applications
are key to developing solutions that meet the
unique needs of local populations."
-Cisco Inclusive Future Report, 2020
Technology is changing everything about the way we connect to each other and to the world around us.
The message we're hearing from municipal leaders is clear; connectivity is playing an increasingly vital
role in reliable healthcare, education, job opportunities, social justice, equality, and so much more. With
roughly 20 million Americans still lacking reliable internet access, plenty of work lies ahead of us to ensure
inequitable access becomes a non-issue.
When looking at the challenge that lies ahead, there are three major hurdles to overcome:
1 According to the National Association of Counties, Internet speeds are still below federal
standards in half the counties across the U.S.
2 Many local communities are lacking the public-private partnerships necessary to establish Smart
City infrastructure projects.
Local governments need federal funding and support to implement advanced, and cost-effective,
3 broadband technology that is vital to economic growth.
Local government leaders have been working hard to close the digital divide in their communities, and
have had to be creative with how they accomplish their goals. The digital divide is a complex problem,
and the solution will not be one-size-fits-all. Moving forward, it is critical that we work together to
establish new rules and allow flexibility and customization for municipal leaders.
9
Methodology
Probolsky Research, a national market
research firm, conducted an online
survey among 101 local and regional
government executives and managers,
including Tribal Nation administrators.
Participants were included from all
regions of the U.S.
Interviews were conducted between May
3 - May 21, 2021. Invitations to
complete the survey were sent by email
and text message as well as targeted
social media ads.
Interviews were conducted in English and
Spanish, at the discretion of the
participant.
101. Grant Samms, 2020, ‘As Cities Face COVID-19, The Digital Divide Becomes More Acute’, Forbes, 2 April 2020,
2. Vikki Katz, Victoria Rideout, 24 June 2021, New America,
3. Federal Communications Commission,17 March 2010, America's National Broadband Plan: Executive Summary,
FCC,
4. ‘Understanding the True State of Connectivity in America’ n.d., National Association of Counties,
5. Cisco, 12 December 2020,
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