Government and Citizens

Internet Access

Internet Access and Online Services

For a growing number of citizens, the Internet has become the de facto source for information and services -- which makes it more important than ever that government Web-enable its business and help ensure equal access for all citizens.

Why is This Important?

Putting government information and services online makes it easier for Virginians to interact directly with state agencies and other institutions. Online services help government increase transparency, accountability, and responsiveness; government can also become more efficient by eliminating redundant tasks and reducing paperwork and storage needs.

However, it is important to reach every citizen and to eliminate potential barriers to Internet access. As a result, both Federal and state laws require government information and services on the Web to be equally available to all persons, regardless of disability.

Other issues, such as reliable access to high-speed broadband, are increasingly important as Web content becomes more complex and more pervasive. More and more critical information, processes, and connections are happening -- often exclusively -- online, meaning that citizens and businesses alike need these digital tools to reach their fullest potential. 

How is Virginia Doing?

Digital Government

Virginia earns good marks nationally for its digital government, though its status as a digital pioneer has faded as other states have caught up. Through its Digital States Survey, the non-profit Center for Digital Government independently assesses how well state governments use technology. The study compiles its rankings based on the availability of government services online, as well as citizen usage.

In 2012, the Center ranked Virginia among the top 16 states in use of digital technologies. Michigan and Utah received the highest scores with a grade of “A,” while Tennessee and five other states received a grade of “A-." Along with 7 other states, Virginia rated “B+," while Maryland and North Carolina each got a "B-."

National Rankings for Effective Digital Government Services

Rank	State
A	Michigan, Utah
A-	Tennessee (with 5 other states)
B+	Virginia (with 7 other states)
B-	Maryland, North Carolina (with 5 other states)
Source: Center for Digital Government State Rankings, 2012.

The Center makes similar awards to cities and counties based on population size, and Virginia continues to acquit itself well.  2012 results are below:

Ranking Virginia Counties, 2011 Digital Counties Survey
500,000 +	250,000-499,999	150,000-249,999	Less than 150,000
Fairfax Co.--1st	Chesterfield Co.--5th Loudoun Co.--7th		Roanoke Co. -- 3rd Albemarle Co.--6th Franklin Co. -- 8th Gloucester Co. --10th
Source: Center for Digital Government City and County Rankings, 2012.
Ranking Virginia Cities, 2012 Digital Cities Survey
250,000 +	125,000-249,999	75,000-124,999	30,000-74,999
	Alexandria -- 8th Chesapeake -- 10th	Roanoke -- 2nd Lynchburg -- 5th	Danville -- 4th

Internet Use

In 2010 Virginia ranked 23rd in the percentage of people (73.3%) who use the Internet from any location (work, home or elsewhere). This level is lower than Maryland (77.2%) but higher than North Carolina (68.6%) and Tennessee (64.6%). The U.S. average is 71.7 percent.

Broadband Access

The United States lags behind many developed countries in the cost, speed, and choice of providers available for broadband services. Although the U.S. ranked 2nd (behind China) for the total number of broadband subscribers in early 2012, it fell well behind Japan, Korea, and Northern Europe for both average download speeds and monthly cost per mbps (megabytes per second).

Accurately gauging broadband and speeds can sometimes be tricky. Provider networks are usually very large and complex. Usage patterns vary greatly -- sometimes predictably, sometimes not. And thanks largely to the explosion of mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, overall demand for broadband services is increasing rapidly, further limiting available bandwidth and affecting the reliability of optimal speeds.

A Question of Access. According to the national broadband map created by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), Virginia ranks 41st in the percentage of residents in proximity to access points with broadband speeds of 3 mbps or greater, up from 48th the previous year. With 96.0 percent access, Virginia ranks lower than all its peer states (Maryland at 99.8%, North Carolina at 97.8%, and Tennessee at 98.2%) -- and lower than the national average of 98.2 percent.

The Commonwealth has initiatives in place to expand access to affordable high-speed / broadband services -- via fiber optic (FTTx), cable, DSL, satellite, or mobile. For example, the Office of Telework Promotion and Broadband Assistance (OTPBA) helps underserved communities in the Commonwealth obtain broadband infrastructure. The OTPBA also publishes a broadband access map of Virginia, detailing where such service is available and by what method. As of spring 2012, the entire state had satellite access, while most parts of the state had access to basic wireless/mobile broadband and almost as much area was also covered by wired broadband. Some pockets of the Commonwealth, however, still have no high-speed access at all.

Regional disparities. As a result, there tend to be stark regional differences in broadband access within Virginia. Nearly 100 percent of the Northern region and 99.1 percent of the Hampton Roads region have reliable access to broadband (with the Valley, the only regions above the state average). These two highly urbanized regions have a wide variety of access methods, including those providing the fastest speeds: fixed fiber optic, cable, fixed wireless, DSL, and 4G wireless.

By contrast, Virginia's rural areas all have satellite access, but other available methods -- 3G and 4G wireless, DSL, and cable -- have incomplete coverage. Cost concerns can also be a more significant factor in rural Virginia, which typically has lower personal income and higher unemployment rates -- but Internet access packages that are no cheaper than anywhere else. In fact, satellite access -- the only universally available method -- can be quite expensive; more affordable packages limit speeds and the amount of data and time online. The two regions in Virginia where broadband access is lowest are in the heavily rural regions of Southside and Southwest; although much improved from just the previous year (61.8% and 71.4%), broadband access rates in Southside and Southwest for 2012 are still well below Virginia's other regions (84.9 percent and 86.2 percent, respectively).

What Influences Internet Access and Online Services?

Gaps also persist in Internet usage among various demographic groups. This digital divide is largely driven by differences in age, education, and household income. According to a 2012 PEW Internet & American Life study, being 65 or older, lacking a high school education, and having an anual household income below $20,000 are the strongest negative predictors of Internet use. And although Black and Hispanic usage rates remain lower than whites, the gaps between them have narrowed markedly since 2000: Current levels show 80% usage for whites, with Black non-Hispanics at 71% and Hispanics only marginally lower at 68%. Usage also varies by disability status.

The explosion in smartphone adoption is helping level off many traditional differences in Internet access, and therefore use. Groups that had typically been on the other side of the digital divide are gaining access via their mobile phones, including those with no college experience or with low household incomes; many of these cite their mobile phones as their sole source for Internet acess.

What is the State's Role?

Under the direction of the Virginia Information Technologies Agency (VITA), the Commonwealth of Virginia has an integrated vision for information technology use in the state that includes Internet strategies and requirements, which is followed by all state executive branch agencies.  

State and regional economic developers recognize the important competitive advantages that ready access to broadband confers and work to improve accessibility.