Internet for All Seattle

Seattle IT is in the process of updating the Internet for All dashboards to include the latest information and data. Dashboards will have limited functionality during this time.

Access to affordable internet has become as essential as clean water and electricity. While Seattle IT has been at the forefront of advancing digital equity over the last 25 years since the first Digital Equity Initiative in 1996, the pandemic has magnified the digital inequities in key demographic groups lacking high-speed internet and devices needed for school and work. 

In response to this crisis, the City spearheaded the Internet for All Seattle Initiative in 2020. This framework has served as a roadmap for Seattle to move closer to the ambitious goal of universal internet adoption for all residents. Key objectives of the initiative are:

• Support Seattle Public Schools' efforts to increase and improve student-household internet access and quality. Status: Completed
• Foster up to 20,000 internet connections & devices for underserved. Status: Completed
• For the 2024 Technology Access and Adoption Study, the data points toward universal internet adoption. Status: In-Progress
• Significantly increase the internet adoption rate for households with annual incomes under $25,000. Status: In-Progress

Since the initiative began, the City has worked diligently to achieve this vision. Of the 49 action items in the Internet for All Seattle Action Plan, the City has completed, consolidated or closed 35 items. We have bolstered investment in community-based solutions though the Technology Matching Fund. We have made the most of federal internet discount programs, like the Affordable Connectivity Program to ramp up internet adoption. Through partnerships we have increased the number of devices in the community, augmented digital skills training and technical support programs and expanded internet connectivity options. For more details visit the Internet for All Seattle: Before & After Overview page.

To share our progress the Internet for All Seattle Dashboards provides both a high-level look and detailed data of the activity in our region as we track movement towards the Internet for All Seattle Action Plan objectives.