Fixed broadband or mobile: What makes us more civically engaged?

Mobile broadband use has increased dramatically in the United States since 2010, more than doubling the amount of fixed connections. As this transformation proceeds, an open question is whether the relationship between broadband use and civic engagement differs by the type of technology utilized. This study uses nationally representative data to assess the relationships between types of household broadband access and levels of civic engagement in 2013. Results from two econometric methods suggest that in comparison to households without any type of broadband, having a fixed-only connection is more strongly associated with taking local civic action than is having a mobile-only connection. Mobile-only access does, however, demonstrate importance for particular subgroups that may be heavily dependent on them, such as African-American and young households.