AAPIs in the New 5G Horizon
by Michael Nguyen and Thu Nguyen, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates
Although internet accessibility has been a relatively new concern compared to visa backlogs or language access, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven that it must be at the forefront of our work. The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has long focused on immigration and education rights, but innovation of the twenty-first century and beyond has made internet and broadband access a basic need we must turn our attention to. Our daily lives rely heavily on the internet, from schooling to job hunting or telemedicine to weather advisories. Yet, one in ten AAPIs do not have access to broadband, and Pacific Islanders have a 10% lower connectivity rate than Asian Americans. This is why tech and telecoms, which includes broadband access and digital literacy, are now one of OCA’s main five issue areas. Here are three reasons why it should be on your radar, too:
1. Service and Connectivity
The new frontier of broadband is 5G, a service that promises to bring more innovation, speed, and possibilities to all. The country has three 5G wireless networks in progress, with the goal of covering the entire nation. However, currently 78 million Americans lack fixed or wireline broadband networks offering 25Mbps, and an additional 14 million Americans lack broadband connection whatsoever. Accurately mapping unserved and underserved areas is essential to promoting the deployment of high-speed services to all communities, including rural and remote areas where services providers are reluctant to build infrastructure. We support any ongoing initiatives to obtain more thorough map data that better identifies underserved areas and hopefully reach communities, particularly in rural areas, that lack access to broadband.
2. Jobs in Tech
Beyond the typical Silicon Valley jobs that the tech industry employs, 5G expansion and innovation will stimulate the economy and create jobs for about 721,000 people in manufacturing and healthcare in the next decade, resulting in an addition of $269 billion to the GDP from those sectors alone, according to a new BCG report. In addition, 5G is poised to help our nation recover economically from the pandemic, including the creation of jobs, and new innovations in industries like health care, manufacturing, information services, and construction. Marginalized communities like ours are positioned to directly benefit from the workforce opportunities resulting from 5G deployment and use, as it will connect job seekers to more diverse labor opportunities and faster connection speeds can help individuals learn new skills through online courses and certifications. Along with our partners, we will work to ensure that our community is not further disadvantaged by the lack of digital or other relevant skills but instead benefits from potential emerging economic and social opportunities that 5G deployment brings.
3. Language Accessibility and Digital Literacy
AAPIs are the fastest growing minority group in America. Within the AAPI community, two groups are often left behind in technology innovation: the elderly and new immigrants. Language accessibility is an issue that we face in all facets of society, but when compounded with new technological devices, we face additional challenges that require basic digital literacy skills, training, and efficient lifelong learning programs to build on these skills. As such, we will continue to work with our partners to create opportunities for digital literacy training and education; and we are committed to ensuring vulnerable communities like ours are not left behind but instead equipped with the necessary skills to learn, work, and communicate effectively online.
To explore the impact of 5G, visit: https://5geconomymap.ctia.org/
