Device Essentials for Digital Equity

Cover image of Digitunity report on smartphone-only access and its limits in program design and policy.

The Smartphone-Only Assumption

Why device access shapes participation in modern systems A new analysis from Digitunity examines a common assumption in program design and policy: that smartphone access is enough. This analysis shows where that assumption breaks down. While smartphones are widely used and effective for communication and quick tasks, they are not designed for the kinds of activities required to fully participate in modern systems, such as education, employment, healthcare, and public services. In the United States,

A man stands in front of a green CACRC backdrop, holding an open laptop and smiling, dressed in a black polo and sneakers.

How One Louisiana Nonprofit is Strengthening Computer Ownership Across the Gulf South

In Louisiana, a non-profit technology refurbisher addresses an overlooked digital divide by giving computers a second life and a second home. The computer ownership gap across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi is among the deepest in the nation. In these Southern states, 2024 American Community Survey data shows that 1 in 5 households or a total of 929,620 households, did not have access to a computer or relied solely on a smartphone for their internet connectivity.

Head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling woman with long brown hair wearing a blue top and a necklace, photographed outdoors with trees and soft greenery in the background.

Computer Ownership & Skills Matter: A Conversation with a Digital Navigator in South Arkansas

Kelli Stephens In rural South Arkansas, smartphones are more common than computers. This difference shapes who can access education, healthcare, and economic opportunity. At the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) Adult Education program, Digital Navigator Kelli Stephens sees this reality every day. As a former X-ray Technologist and Picture Archiving and Communication Systems Administrator she has seen firsthand how deeply healthcare relies on digital tools. Now, as a Digital Navigator with UAM’s Adult Education

Device Essentials for Digital Equity