How public and private sector 5G investment spurs digital inclusion

At SHI, we provide organizations with the best solutions available to meet their unique business and IT needs. But we also focus on how we can best help companies serve their end users. It’s easy to talk about how the private sector utilizes our products and solutions. But when we bring the public sector into the discussion, it’s important to delve into a deeper conversation about the families, students, and children whose lives are changed by our customers and impacted by technology.

Government intervention will help push the adoption of 5G and fiber coverage, but the private sector will drive meaningful change. Our relationships with government agencies and wide visibility into investment trends across the private sector allow SHI to play a part in these dialogues. Expanded 5G coverage and high band 5G availability get internet connectivity to the people in rural and centralized urban areas who need it most.

What is digital inclusion?

A commitment to digital inclusion involves ensuring that all individuals and communities, including the most disadvantaged, have access to the benefits of the internet and digital technologies. Public and private sector investment can:

• Support schools with high-speed internet connectivity.
• Supply necessary devices like phones and 5G modems.
• Open new avenues to IT banking in disadvantaged communities.
• Allow people to take advantage of public hotspots.
• Ensure children, even those who are impoverished, can communicate with each other.

SHI’s role

Companies want to understand their end users – where they are, what they’re doing, and how to provide them with tools to improve their lives. In today’s changing landscape, businesses need to know if they are prepared for the future. This is where SHI can step in.

Planning

Federal, state, and local governments are instrumental in promoting bills that help improve infrastructure beyond roads, bridges, and tunnels. Modern infrastructure also includes enhancements to electricity grids and IoT that relate to telecommunications.

The introduction of recent federal COVID-19 relief and infrastructure bills helped promote the growth of 5G connectivity. State and local governments can use these funds toward IT investments to provide increased internet access in rural and disinvested urban areas and Chromebooks for remote learning. SHI can assist businesses building IT plans based on these opportunities, providing more customers with internet access as infrastructure expands.

Guidance

Our partnerships extend beyond the private sector. We have a wide breadth of experience and a clear understanding of the unique needs across the public sector. When organizations need assistance deciding where to invest, we can offer:

• Reassurance they’re on the right track.
• Insight into what similar organizations are doing.
• Help avoiding the hurdles their partners or competitors may be facing.
• Guidance on the best solutions and strategies.

Consultation

SHI acts as a consultant that understands what’s happening through the entire IT landscape. We help ensure that all aspects of an IT infrastructure are optimized, from connectivity and security to the day-to-day experience of using devices. If additional investment is needed in any of these different pillars, organizations know that they’re putting their money toward something sustainable that will show a return of their investment.

Contact our networking specialists to learn how we can help your organization promote digital inclusion in 5G and aid the most vulnerable members of your local community.