Guest blogger, Gus West, from the Hispanic Institute, stresses the importance of mobile broadband to the Latino community.

One key demographic that has been underrepresented in policy debates regarding the Digital Divide is the Hispanic population. The fact that Hispanics are now the largest minority population in the US and also among the most digitally underserved means that our community’s needs and perspectives must be taken into account as the FCC develops the National Broadband Plan for America.

Despite a large proportion of Hispanics coming from lower income backgrounds, we have an incredible propensity for using new and available technologies. Of those Hispanics with Internet access, we consume mobile broadband at 53% clip, trailing only the African American usage rate of 58%. The social and economic benefits derived from using these technologies are well-known — Health IT, educational access, and workforce development. Innovation and growth in technology will enable widespread economic recovery for all sectors, but will have a particularly significant positive impact on the most vulnerable populations in our country.

The fact that our community uses mobile broadband at comparatively high rates does not mean that we should rest in our efforts to close the Digital Divide. Many in our community lack access to broadband in the home, a necessary resource in today’s society. If access to IT is limited or if investment in deployment or adoption is stifled, our community, which lags behind others by several socio-economic measures, will find it more difficult to make progress. The growing Hispanic population demands increased connectivity. We must continue to encourage investment in new technologies and telecommunications services. Policies that foster growth and incentivize partnerships on both a public and private level will help develop an environment that allows mobile broadband to spread and flourish.

At The Hispanic Institute, we have been studying the issue very closely. We recently released a white paper on Hispanic Broadband access that further details the importance of technology and the place of Hispanics in the telecommunications landscape. The study can be viewed at http://www.thehispanicinstitute.net.