In 2020, Comcast launched a new effort to create WiFi-connected Lift Zones that provide free Internet access and other essential digital services in community centers across the country. At the time, the main purpose for Lift Zones was to work collaboratively with local governments and civic leaders, educators, and community nonprofits to provide spaces where students and caregivers could go while schools were closed because of the COVID-19 epidemic. The effort has been so well received, however, that it continues to this day even as schools have long-since reopened. In fact, Lift Zones have become part of Comcast’s ongoing commitment to help connect underserved families to the Internet so they can fully participate in educational opportunities, workforce development programs, and the digital economy. Since they launched, Comcast has installed more than 1,250 Lift Zones across the country.

 

In an effort to deepen our collective understanding about the impact that Lift Zones have had and continue to have on communities, Comcast partnered with BSG to conduct research on the topic. Specifically, the research project and subsequent report focused on answering the following questions: 

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1. What is the need for Lift Zones today?

2. How have Lift Zones helped communities and families?

3. What are the opportunities to increase the impact of Lift Zones in the future?

 

BSG fielded two, concurrent national surveys conducted from June 1 - August 24, 2022. Each of the surveys was conducted among one of two key audiences (the report goes into more detail on the research design): 

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1. Lower-income parents: BSG fielded a survey among lower-income parents who live within one mile of a zip code with a Lift Zone in it or in a set of “look-alike” zip codes with similar socioeconomic demographics. This research design helps us compare the experiences of lower-income families in close proximity to Lift Zones to the experiences of similar families in similar communities, but who are further away from Lift Zones. 

2. Community Leaders who live within five miles of a zip code with a Lift Zone in it: BSG also fielded a survey among “Community Leaders” (e.g., government officials and non-profit employees) to understand their perspectives on the community-level impact of Lift Zones.

 

If you have any questions or would like more information about this research, please reach out to info@bsgco.com.

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