Light Reading Podcasts The Divide: Paolo Balboa on NYC's road to achieving digital equity
Oct 28, 2025
Paolo Balboa, NYC's Chief Digital Equity Officer with a rich background in public libraries and digital inclusion, dives into the significant barriers to broadband in the city. He discusses affordability, perceptions of need, and lack of info as key challenges. Balboa highlights the impact of the Affordable Connectivity Program's end and summarizes initiatives in the Digital Equity Roadmap. He shares details about Liberty Link and Big Apple Connect for underserved communities, and emphasizes the importance of trust in public broadband initiatives.
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Access Vs Adoption In NYC
- New York City has widespread physical connectivity but many households still lack subscriptions due to non-technical barriers.
- Paolo Balboa highlights affordability and lack of information as primary reasons people remain offline.
Prioritize Affordability And Communication
- Prioritize affordability and clear communication when designing digital equity programs.
- Reach people where they are and explain internet value in terms they understand.
ACP's Sudden Impact In NYC
- When the Affordable Connectivity Program ended, nearly 1 million NYC households lost subsidized service.
- Paolo notes this equals just under an eighth of city households suddenly losing internet subscriptions.