What We Do
We are involved at every stage of the broadband lifecycle. First, we map where service is and is not available. Next, we support the deployment of new infrastructure. Finally, we work to ensure that residents can actually adopt and use the connections being built. As a result, our work spans from the State of Illinois’s $1.04 billion BEAD allocation down to individual community digital inclusion plans.
On the ground, our programs identify digital inequities and develop concrete next steps. For example, Broadband READY was intentionally structured as a forerunner to the Digital Equity Act. Through it, regions build digital inclusion ecosystems via local collaboration. Similarly, Illinois Connected Communities guides cohorts of local organizations through a year-long planning and capacity-building process. In each case, we help communities build the infrastructure, skills, and partnerships needed to sustain this work over time.
At the same time, our work is evolving as broadband deployment accelerates. In particular, we are expanding into AI literacy and emerging technology readiness. This shift reflects a simple reality: the skills residents need to participate in the digital economy are changing rapidly. Through initiatives like the AI Connector Network — a community of practice focused on AI capacity building — we are ensuring that Illinois’s digital equity efforts keep pace with the technologies reshaping how people learn, work, and engage with their communities.
From Access to Understanding
The Illinois Broadband Lab’s work spans a continuum from infrastructure access to a deep understanding of emerging technologies.
The continuum below reflects how digital equity has evolved — it is no longer sufficient to measure success by whether a household has a broadband connection. True digital inclusion requires that residents can navigate the internet safely, use technology to achieve meaningful goals, and understand the AI-powered tools that are increasingly embedded in everyday life.
