| NSF Org: |
CNS Division Of Computer and Network Systems |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | September 3, 2020 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | September 21, 2021 |
| Award Number: | 2044448 |
| Award Instrument: | Cooperative Agreement |
| Program Manager: |
Deepankar Medhi
dmedhi@nsf.gov (703)292-2935 CNS Division Of Computer and Network Systems CSE Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering |
| Start Date: | October 1, 2020 |
| End Date: | September 30, 2022 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $1,945,000.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $2,264,253.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2021 = $319,253.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
1150 18TH ST NW WASHINGTON DC US 20036-3880 (202)365-9219 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
1150 18th Street NW Washington DC US 20036-3880 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
RSCH EXPER FOR UNDERGRAD SITES, Special Projects - CNS, CISE Research Resources |
| Primary Program Source: |
01002122DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.070 |
ABSTRACT
At least 17 million U.S. residents lack the basic Internet access necessary for remote work, online learning, and telemedicine. While ensuring greater connectivity has always been important, the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic have turned a desire to deliver broadband to everyone into a critical priority for the nation. The goal of the OVERCOME (cOnnectiVity for undERserved COMmunitiEs) project is to select, launch, and oversee five proof-of-concept efforts to deploy novel broadband technology solutions to both rural and urban underserved communities. These communities will be chosen to reflect a mix of density, demographics, income levels, regions of the United States, housing types, local and industry collaborations, and technical approaches.
To explore further strategies for broadband expansion, US Ignite will publish a solicitation (including broadband network examples) calling for communities and their partners to participate in the OVERCOME project to connect the unconnected. Responding communities will propose their team members, identify underserved area(s) they will connect, and recommend specific technologies to be used for broadband delivery, while addressing social impacts. US Ignite will select five strong and diverse proposals, oversee broadband deployment efforts, provide national publicity for the effort, and charter leading faculty to measure the effects of the project ? both technical and social ? as it evolves.
The results of the OVERCOME project will help guide efforts to create a more comprehensive response to connecting the unconnected by discovering patterns of success worth repeating on a larger scale and noting the distinctions that arise based on variations in the communities served. All data collected will be made available publicly in a timely way, and shared information will include failures as well as successes. It is hoped that the practical knowledge gained from these proofs-of-concept will enable new broadband deployment models and enable more Americans to join the online workforce, take advantage of Internet-based education, and access high-quality healthcare on demand.
US Ignite will publish and maintain information on the OVERCOME project at the us-ignite.org website. The site will act as a repository for data collected throughout the project and serve as an ongoing public resource for broadband deployment strategies. It is expected that the information provided will prove valuable to industry technologists, researchers, federal policymakers, and state and local governments seeking to expand broadband access in their communities.
This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Managed by US Ignite and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF Award #CNS ? 2044448) with Schmidt Futures, Project OVERCOME was created to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of novel broadband solutions available to communities wanting to expand Internet access to underserved and unserved populations. The project's design ensured careful consideration of both the technical requirements of broadband access and the community collaboration, outreach, and engagement needed to explore sustainable success.
In March 2021, US Ignite announced the names of the seven selected communities to build proof-of-concept networks - including fiber, fixed wireless, and wireless deployments - across a mix of rural and urban communities. Selected communities received funding to deploy a novel solution to connect unserved and underserved areas and measure the project's social impact. The selected communities reflected a mix of density, demographics, income levels, regions of the United States, housing types, local and industry collaborations, and technical approaches. US Ignite managed the deployment efforts, promoted outreach, and worked with social scientists to measure the societal impacts of Project OVERCOME on access to health care, education, employment, and skills development.
Measured Impact and Insights
Project OVERCOME illustrated successes across rural and urban communities, bridging the digital divide with various technologies. The project teams established 329 connections, including anchor institutions such as three community centers, one church, and one school district campus. With financial support and input from the NSF and Schmidt Futures, participants expanded job opportunities, increased access to health and educational resources, and strengthened communities.
Survey evaluations administered before and after the Project OVERCOME connections demonstrated that the program helped alleviate participants' challenges in using the Internet. The evaluation analysis offered insights into how Project OVERCOME broadband provisions impacted underserved communities and what combination of resources successfully improved internet usage and experiences. The analyses investigated whether the Project OVERCOME program had an impact on (1) challenges in using the internet, (2) trust in the internet, (3) using the internet for education, employment, and healthcare purposes, and (4) overall internet use.
Treatment and control households were surveyed on their internet usage, experiences, and attitudes before Project OVERCOME service and three months after the Project OVERCOME deployment. The final dataset included 632 household-level observations with households surveyed in pre- and post-deployment surveys. The results revealed that OVERCOME participants experienced a significant reduction in the challenges faced using the Internet. The availability of a faster and more reliable Internet connection drove most of this reduction. The participants also reported improvements in ease of use. Project OVERCOME significantly affected internet use for employment and healthcare purposes in the households that received help using the internet. Specifically, help and support provided by local organizations (such as schools and libraries) and device manufacturers or internet service providers proved most effective, while help provided by fellow household members or friends was ineffective.
The results from the Project OVERCOME survey analyses indicate that providing Internet access is necessary but not sufficient for disadvantaged populations with limited digital literacy to take full advantage. These findings emphasize the importance of providing access with support and training for underserved areas to make a meaningful impact in their communities.
Technological Findings
The project also offered insights into the challenges and opportunities for selected technology deployments. While much attention has been given to the unlicensed CBRS spectrum as internet service providers and municipalities look to address connectivity, these pilots evaluated deployments and found mixed results.
The project studied the efficacy of rapidly deployed wireless networks, including microwave backhaul, mmWave, and fiber to CBRS/LTE. We also tested commercial LTE to hotspots and rapid stringing of fiber to community anchors for wireless distribution. Regarding wireless technologies, connectivity at mid-band frequencies (3-7 GHz) proved unpredictable as propagation patterns with academic and large-scale partners obtained various results. These analyses could not properly or consistently account for tree canopy across seasons, irregularities at the point of installation, and consumer preferences with experimental technologies. To understand the variances, more studies of the anticipated vs. actual results are necessary.
The fiber pilots selected are ideal for long-term investments but not deployable within the allotted 1-year timeframe due to permitting and right-of-way considerations. While the deployment of fixed wireless does mitigate against the high-build costs, deployment times, and the disparate spread of clients/customers associated with fiber builds. Where projects had planned and pre-purchased radios, used existing infrastructure, and benefited from expedited permitting, wireless connectivity was rapidly deployed.
Key takeaways
Internet access is a necessary but not sufficient condition to bridge the digital divide. Project OVERCOME findings demonstrate that internet access coupled with robust local and institutional support is more impactful in bridging the digital divide, especially in unserved and underserved communities. Further studies and experiments that leverage federal funds and large-scale deployments should continue investigating and cataloging appropriate pairing of access and adoption strategies.
Last Modified: 01/28/2023
Modified by: Everard L Davenport
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