Here's a comprehensive overview of the technology landscape in Lansing, MI, particularly as it relates to ALICE households, internet access, affordability, and phones: ## The ALICE Connection to Technology in Lansing **ALICE** stands for Asset-Limited, Income-Constrained, Employed — households that earn above the Federal Poverty Level but still can't afford basic necessities. Technology is explicitly part of the ALICE survival budget, alongside housing, food, healthcare, and transportation. Lansing has one of the highest ALICE rates in the South Central Michigan region — **50% of Lansing households** fall below the ALICE threshold, well above the regional average of 41%. That means half the city is working but struggling to afford the basics, including internet and devices. Statewide, 41% of Michigan households were below the ALICE threshold in 2023 — 14% in poverty and another 27% earning above poverty but still not enough to cover basic costs in their county. --- ## Internet Access & the Digital Divide in Lansing In urban areas like Lansing, **affordability is the primary barrier** to internet access — not availability. Most Lansing residents have the option to connect, but choose not to or cannot afford it. About 24% of Lansing survey respondents cited cost as the biggest obstacle. A 2023 report from Ingham County's Broadband Task Force found that **one in four county residents do not have internet access**. The Lansing Public Library's 170 mobile hotspots remain in extremely high demand, with **waitlists extending into the hundreds** for both short- and long-term checkouts. --- ## State & Federal Response Michigan has launched several major initiatives: - The **BEAD program** (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment) will provide high-speed internet to more than 238,000 locations statewide, addressing not just infrastructure but also affordability, digital skills, and device access. - Michigan is launching **MITTEN** (Michigan's Inclusive Training, Technology, and Equity Network), a statewide Digital Navigator Network to develop community-specific solutions for closing the digital divide, addressing barriers including cost, skills, and equipment access. - Michigan's first-ever **Digital Equity Plan** was approved in 2024, with over **$20 million** awarded through the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program, with the goal of achieving a digitally equitable state by 2030. - The federal **Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP)**, which subsidized internet costs for low-income households, **lapsed in May 2024** — a significant blow to affordability efforts. States are now pivoting to promote alternatives like Lifeline, which offers up to $9.25/month toward broadband subscriptions. --- ## Local Resources **Closing The Digital Gap (CTDG)**, a Lansing-based nonprofit operating since 2002, provides technology training, low-cost devices, and internet access resources to low-income Michigan residents, including training on telehealth and basic AI. They offer free or low-cost computer courses and device referrals. --- ## Phones Cell phones have become the primary — and often *only* — form of internet access for many ALICE households in Lansing. This "phone-only" internet dependency creates real limitations for job applications, healthcare portals, school assignments, and government services that aren't mobile-optimized. The federal **Lifeline program** remains one of the few subsidies available for phone and mobile broadband costs after ACP expired. --- ## Bottom Line Lansing sits at a difficult intersection: it's an urban area with decent physical infrastructure, but **cost and income constraints** — not lack of wires — keep half its households digitally underserved. The challenge is less about building towers and more about making technology affordable and usable for the ALICE population that keeps the city running.
**References** 1. **United Way of South Central Michigan — "The State of ALICE in UWSCMI: 2025 Report"** Lansing's 50% ALICE rate and South Central Michigan regional data. https://unitedforscmi.org/the-state-of-alice-in-uwscmi-2025-report/ 2. **UnitedForALICE — Michigan State Overview** Michigan's 41% ALICE threshold figure and statewide household data. https://www.unitedforalice.org/state-overview-mobile/Michigan 3. **American Communities Project — "An Opportunity to Close the Digital Divide in Michigan College Town"** Affordability as the primary barrier in Lansing/Ingham County; Lansing Public Library hotspot waitlists; Ingham County Broadband Task Force survey results; one in four Ingham County residents without internet. https://www.americancommunities.org/an-opportunity-to-close-the-digital-divide-in-michigan-college-town/ 4. **Michigan Governor's Office Press Release — BEAD Program Announcement** Michigan receiving $1.5+ billion through BEAD to connect 200,000+ homes; deployment timeline. https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/2023/06/26/whitmer-announces-more-than-200000-michiganders-will-gain-access-to-high-speed-internet 5. **Benton Institute for Broadband & Society — "Michigan Is on the Road to Closing the Digital Divide by 2030"** MITTEN Digital Navigator Network; Michigan's Digital Equity Plan finalized March 2024; $20 million in Digital Equity Capacity Grant funding; 2030 digital equity goal. https://www.benton.org/blog/michigan-road-closing-digital-divide-2030 6. **Closing The Digital Gap (CTDG) — Official Website** Lansing-based nonprofit providing technology training, low-cost devices, and internet access resources since 2002. https://closingthedigitalgap.org/programs 7. **Pew Charitable Trusts — "Every State Identifies Broadband Affordability as Primary Barrier to Closing Digital Divide"** ACP lapsing in May 2024; Lifeline as a remaining subsidy option ($9.25/month). https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2024/10/04/every-state-identifies-broadband-affordability-as-primary-barrier-to-closing-digital-divide 8. **University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy — South Central Michigan Poverty Fact Sheet** Lansing's deep poverty statistics; median family income comparison between Lansing and Ingham County. https://sites.fordschool.umich.edu/poverty2021/files/2024/03/Southcentral-MI-2024-final.pdf 9. **Council of Michigan Foundations — ALICE Report Michigan** Overview of ALICE statewide; demographic disparities in financial hardship. https://www.michiganfoundations.org/resources/alice-report-michigan 10. **NTIA — Biden-Harris Administration Approves Michigan's "Internet for All" Initial Proposal** Federal BEAD program approval; infrastructure investment details. https://www.ntia.gov/press-release/2024/biden-harris-administration-approves-michigan-s-internet-all-initial-proposal