The Digital Divide: "Haves" and "Have-Nots" The "Digital Divide" most often refers to access to the Internet; however, the concept is much broader and its origin is often attributed to the cost of technologies. While residents of many communities take for granted their personal home computers, mobile phones, and Internet access, those in many low-income neighborhoods have still had little exposure to business technologies such as laser scanners at supermarkets and automatic teller machines. 1 The divide can be widest in low-income neighborhoods, where the lack of Internet access and adequate phone service can lead to the greater problem of making an area less attractive for businesses that demand a robust telecommunications infrastructure.