Connect Pima
How Pima County is working to close the digital divide and link communities to affordable, high-speed internet access.
Pima County is working to close the digital divide and link communities to affordable, high-speed internet access. In our increasingly digital world, tasks are made easier by a fast, reliable, and affordable connection, but not all people have equal access to the internet. This unequal access creates gaps that disconnect people. We are working to close these gaps with Connect Pima, the County's Digital Infrastructure & Inclusion Action Plan. Learn more about Connect Pima's goals, why the plan is so important, and the free resources currently available to the Pima County community.
About Connect Pima
Connect Pima's mission is to bring equity and inclusion to how Pima County community members access affordable and reliable high-speed internet connections.
Data from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) show large parts of Pima County do not meet the FCC's minimum standards for broadband connection speeds: 25 Mbps download and 3 Mbps upload .
Communities of color, low-income residents, rural, indigenous, older residents, people with disabilities, and people experiencing homelessness are more likely to be without a strong connection to the Internet and without the equipment and skills to access reliable resources.
This map shows data from the FCC's Broadband Data Collection program, which categorizes Broadband Serviceable Locations (BSLs) as unserved, underserved, or served. A BSL is any place where high-speed internet is or could be installed, like a home or business.
In this map, BSLs are grouped into hexagons whose colors show the predominant internet speed. Select a hexagon to learn more about the BSLs in that area.
Color legend for broadband speed hexagons showing from top to bottom served, underserved, unserved, and no predominance
Some parts of Pima County, shown here in green, have broadband speeds better than FCC standards. As the map shows, these areas tend to be closer to the Tucson metro area.
Many of the hexagons on this map have 100% of their BSLs served by speeds faster than 100/20 (100 Mbps download and 20 Mbps upload). Select a hexagon to learn more.
The locations best served by high-speed internet service tend to cluster around the Tucson metro area and in places like , , and .
Areas with more unserved and underserved BSLs are shown in red or yellow.
These tend to be located in less-populated parts of Pima County like , , and .
Zoom in and explore the map to learn more about internet speeds in different areas of Pima County. Select a hexagon for details.
Strategic Plan
Connect Pima outlines three main goals for improving digital inclusion and infrastructure. A recent report from the National Association of Counties detailed the essential nature of high-speed internet as more than a basic necessity. High-speed broadband accelerates opportunity and economic growth.
1. Improve broadband infrastructure
Getting fast, reliable internet service to unserved and underserved communities takes groundwork. Without cables connecting them to the internet, many parts of Pima County rely on satellite or mobile data connections, which can be slow, spotty, and expensive. The first part of the Connect Pima Action Plan will help fix these problems.
Short-term Goal
Status: Complete Increase the number of publicly accessible wireless hotspots in each of the five Pima County Board of Supervisors Districts by September 2022
Mid-term Goal
Status: In Progress Increase the number of households served by affordable high-speed Internet in each Board of Supervisors District by September 2024
Long-term Goal
Status: Planning Set "dig once" policies to expand broadband network infrastructure as part of new construction projects by June 2026
2. Implement digital literacy initiatives
UNESCO's Institute for Statistics describes digital literacy as “the ability to access, manage, understand, integrate, communicate, evaluate and create information safely and appropriately through digital technologies.”
In other words, digital literacy refers to the skills needed to use computers and technology confidently, carefully, and effectively. The second aspect of the Connect Pima Action Plan empowers people with community resources that provide this type of training and assistance.
Short-term Goal
Status: Complete Make a plan to address gaps in digital literacy training programs and resources available to Pima County community members by December 2022
Mid-term Goal
Status: Planning Through community partnerships, provide more programs and resources to help meet digital literacy needs by September 2023
Long-term Goal
Status: Planning Increase technology usage in the community as people become more comfortable in their own digital literacy by June 2025
3. Increase access to devices and tools
Having fast, reliable internet and feeling comfortable using technology are both important, but so is access to the tools and devices to take full advantage of these skills. Connect Pima provides a roadmap for providing Pima County community members with these tools, both now and in the future.
Short-term Goal
Status: In Progress Engage community members to learn what tools are available to them and what their technological needs are by December 2023
Mid-term Goal
Status: Planning Increase access to digital devices and technology tools in parts of Pima County where they are most needed by December 2023
Long-term Goal
Status: Planning Set policies to sustain funding for providing devices and tools to community members by June 2026
For more information on Connect Pima, you can view the full strategic plan on the Office of Digital Inclusion website .
High-Speed Internet
Internet connections are described with numbers that refer to download (from the Internet to your device) and upload (from your device to the Internet) speeds, which are measured in megabits per second (Mbps).
The term "broadband" refers to a high-speed connection that is faster than traditional dial-up and is always connected. The FCC's minimum broadband speed requirement is 25/3 — download speeds of at least 25 Mbps and upload speeds of at least 3 Mbps — though for most households, this isn't enough.
How fast is fast enough?
In a bipartisan 2021 letter to the FCC and other government agencies, Senators Michael F. Bennet, Angus S. King Jr., Rob Portman, and Joe Manchin III wrote, "Ask any senior who connects with their physician via telemedicine, any farmer hoping to unlock the benefits of precision agriculture, any student who receives live-streamed instruction, or any family where both parents telework and multiple children are remote learning, and they will tell you that many networks fail to come close to 'high-speed,'"
Part of Connect Pima's mission is to improve broadband connection speeds to at least 100 Mbps download and 25 Mbps upload, especially in rural areas where need is greatest.
The County has applied for grants from the Arizona Commerce Authority , the NTIA , and other agencies to extend high-speed fiber networks to unserved and underserved areas. On June 16, 2023, the NTIA announced that Pima County will receive $30.3 million to expand broadband service to unserved and underserved areas of the county.
Ask any senior who connects with their physician via telemedicine, any farmer hoping to unlock the benefits of precision agriculture, any student who receives live-streamed instruction, or any family where both parents telework and multiple children are remote learning, and they will tell you that many networks fail to come close to 'high-speed.'
Do you have the speed?
You can help update FCC maps of broadband availability in Pima County with the FCC Speed Test app! Collecting information about internet speeds helps bring more federal funding into Pima County to improve our broadband network.
Learn more about measuring and reporting your internet connection speed on the library's website or read the FCC Speed Test tip sheet .
Free Wi-Fi
In addition to free Wi-Fi and other tech services already offered at library locations, the Pima County Public Library has partnered with Cox Communications to provide access to 120 reliable, high speed Wi-Fi hotspots across Pima County.
Use the Pima County Wi-Fi Hotspot Finder below to learn how to get connected. Type in an address or click on the map to get started. You can also use the button in the top-right corner to open the map in a new window.
Providing access to the internet, devices, and training is a foundational value of public library service to the community.
Data Explorer
Check out the Data Explorer below to view some of the maps and demographic data that guide the Connect Pima Strategic Plan. Use the top menu bar to navigate between sections.
The Data Dashboard section shows key demographic indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) at the census tract level from the past five years. All ACS layers are updated each December with new data from the previous year. Also included in the dashboard are the Purdue Center for Regional Development's Digital Divide Index and Digital Distress metric.
References
American Library Association. (2017, January 19). Digital Literacy. ALA Literacy Clearinghouse. https://literacy.ala.org/digital-literacy/
American Library Association. (2021, January 25). Resolution in Support of Broadband as a Human Right. https://www.ala.org/aboutala/sites/ala.org.aboutala/files/content/Resolution%20in%20Support%20of%20Broadband%20as%20a%20Human%20Right%20FINAL.pdf
Arizona Commerce Authority. (2021, November). Arizona Broadband Development Grant Program. https://www.azcommerce.com/broadband/arizona-broadband-development-grant-program/
Bennet, M. F., King Jr., A. S., Portman, R., & Manchin III, J. (2021, March 4). Bipartisan Broadband Speed Letter. United States Senate. https://www.bennet.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/c/7/c76028fb-488d-498e-8506-7d8a2dce3172/05DDC9148CC7F12A9F09235F77BB7A0D.bipartisan-broadband-speed-letter.pdf
Fernández, C. J. (2022, July 6). Public library partners with Cox Communications to offer free WiFi hotspots. KGUN 9 Tucson News. https://www.kgun9.com/news/local-news/public-library-partners-with-cox-communications-to-offer-free-wifi-hotspots
Law, N., Torre, J. D. L., Wong, G., Woo, D. (2018, June). A global framework of reference on digital literacy skills for indicator 4.4.2. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Institute for Statistics. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000265403.locale=en
Ludden, N. (2022, April 5). Pima County, Ariz., Developing New Digital Inclusion Plan. GovTech; The Arizona Daily Star. https://www.govtech.com/network/pima-county-ariz-developing-new-digital-inclusion-plan
National Association of Counties. (2021, July). Broadband Task Force: High-Speed Internet Is Essential For All Counties. https://www.naco.org/resources/broadband-task-force-high-speed-internet-essential-all-counties
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (2022a, May 13). Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program. Internet for All. https://internetforall.gov/program/broadband-equity-access-and-deployment-bead-program
U.S. Department of Commerce, National Telecommunications and Information Administration. (2022b, May 13). Enabling Middle Mile Broadband Infrastructure Program. BroadbandUSA. https://broadbandusa.ntia.doc.gov/funding-programs/enabling-middle-mile-broadband-infrastructure-program
U.S. Federal Communications Commission. (2022, November 23). FCC Speed Test App FAQs. https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/fcc-speed-test-app-tip-sheet
U.S. Federal Communications Commission. (2023, May 30). Broadband Data Collection. https://www.fcc.gov/BroadbandData
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