Identifying temporary and permanent gaps in universal service

This article examines the nature of the gap in household telephone penetrat ion among Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics, By analyzing historic and current penetration levels of the radio, television, and telephone, it suggests tha t most information technology gaps are amalgamations of smaller socioeconom ic trends and can be discerned and reduced only with careful historical ana lysis of both technology choices and living patterns. It proposes localized universal service strategies, since the penetration gaps are affected by a complex array of Factors more particular to localities than to the country as a whole and as such must be investigated with rigor and caution if prog ress toward the elimination of penetration gaps is to occur.