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Barcelona, CT envisions digitally inclusive future for all residents with Connectem Barcelona pilot
Connectem Barcelona - Barcelona Connects - was a one-year connectivity pilot in the Trinitat Nova neighborhood. Half of the 348 participants received devices and reliable Internet, while the other half also received training from IT experts. City officials recruited 30 nonprofits and businesses as partners in closing the digital divide for participants. This program addresses a lack of digital skills and knowledge identified in a 2020 citywide survey.
Barcelona, CT
Spain
Catawba County, NC Wi-Fi for All provides free Internet access in public locations
County officials identified significant gaps in Internet access in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The Catawba County Library used a state CARES grant for the installation of hard-wired connections and Wi-Fi routers at seven locations. Wi-Fi access at locations like the Hickory Soup Kitchen and Plaza Latina extended into parking lots for easier public use. Catawba County also stocked library locations with 118 tablets for residents without access to connected devices.
Catawba County, NC
United States
Duluth, MN expands high-speed Internet access with pilot of Duluth Fiber network in Lincoln Park
The city's Digital Access Master Plan sets the goal of reliable and affordable access for every resident by 2028. The Duluth Fiber network will first connect to 1,900 homes and businesses in the Lincoln Park neighborhood. This project provides open access to service providers, thus creating competition for subscribers that should decrease monthly costs. A one-year pilot will evaluate user experiences and determine interest in high-speed Internet access in other neighborhoods.
Duluth, MN
United States
Sarasota, FL unveils Free Wi-Fi in the Parks pilot in response to connectivity gaps
City officials first discussed free Wi-Fi in public parks in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sarasota approved the use of $470,000 in federal ARPA funds for the installation of equipment at four public parks. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Park was the first park in the program with additional park activations planned by early 2023. Free Wi-Fi in the Parks reduces the digital divide and encourages active lifestyles through increased park visits.
Sarasota, FL
United States
Amarillo, TX and AT&T address connectivity gaps across the city with broadband access project
City officials and AT&T identified areas with limited access to reliable high-speed Internet. The initiative adds AT&T Fiber connectivity with speeds up to 5,000 Mbps to 22,000 addresses. Households earning at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines qualify for free access to the network. Amarillo will work with partners like Texas Tech University on digital training courses for participating households. This project was funded by federal ARPA money along with matching funds from AT&T.
Amarillo, TX
United States
Essex County Council, GB promotes digital inclusion and improved connectivity with Digital Essex
This initiative follows a decade-long Superfast Essex effort that connected 160,000 addresses to reliable Internet service. The £1.88 million program creates a grant program addressing rural homes without high-speed connections. Digital Essex funds 4G connectivity at 99% of addresses in the county with 5G service to major employers and popular destinations. Additional aspects of the program include promotion of broadband discounts and digital skill courses at libraries.
Essex County Council, GB
United Kingdom
New York, NY Big Apple Connect program bridges connectivity gaps for public housing residents
Big Apple Connect offers free basic cable TV and Internet connections up to 300 Mbps to 300,000 public housing residents. The city reached agreements with Optimum and Spectrum as service providers across 200 New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) communities. New York conducted a pilot version of Big Apple Connect in eight NYCHA communities in August 2022. Full deployment by December 2023 will help many of the 40% of public housing residents without high-speed Internet access.
New York, NY
United States
Greater Manchester Combined Authority, GB facilitates digital inclusion pilot for social housing
The pilot pairs five Internet Service Providers (ISPs) with social housing providers in the region. Each ISP-housing pair will improve connectivity and digital skills for 1,000 residents. ISP projects will vary with Vodafone the first to solidify plans by offering free SIM cards in its pilot zone. Target demographics for the program include seniors, disabled residents, and at-risk youth. Local officials hope the pilot creates a path to digital inclusion for 260,000 social housing residents.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority, GB
United Kingdom
Syracuse, NY connects digitally excluded residents with Surge Link municipal broadband pilot
Syracuse published a Request for Proposal for a project partner on a citywide network. The Surge Link pilot focuses on 2,500 households in three neighborhoods without sufficient connectivity for multiple users. Local officials approved the use of federal ARPA funds for the pilot with plans to seek additional funding for network expansion. The Surge Link pilot builds on the city's Digital Empowerment Program for improved digital literacy and access.
Syracuse, NY
United States
Fort Worth, TX CFW Neigborhood Wi-Fi program connects residents in digitally excluded areas
The city's Neighborhood Improvement Program identified five neighborhoods with limited Internet access. Fort Worth, Cisco, and Presidio affixed networking equipment to utility poles for up to 90% saturation in each area. CFW Neighborhood Wi-Fi acts as a bridge between the low-connectivity past and future adoption of full-fiber connectivity. City officials used CARES Act and ARPA funding for a program that reaches two-thirds of the 60,000 residents without home Internet access.
Fort Worth, TX
United States
Detroit, MI is planning to pilot an open-access fiber network using $10 million in ARPA funds
The city of Detroit is planning to pilot an open-access fiber network, using $10 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, that will serve a neighborhood of about 3,200 households. The pilot is designed to bridge the digital divide by delivering high-speed fiber-optic internet access to every home and business in one Detroit neighborhood most in need of improved access and reliability.
Detroit, MI
United States
Yuba County, CA is partnering with SiFi Networks to establish a new rural fiber-optics network
Yuba County is partnering with SiFi Networks to establish a new fiber-optics network in the rural towns of Linda, Olivehurst, and Plumas Lake. SiFi Networks is covering the installation, development, construction, and upkeep for these lines at no cost to the municipalities or taxpayers. The fiber lines will be leased to local Internet service providers to encourage competitive service.
Yuba County, CA
United States