Blog

Connectivity to broadband remains a problem. Students wihout home internet must do homework at places with free Wi-Fi. This is the homework gap.

Here are a few tactics you can use to market your downtown Wi-Fi area, which encourages people to spend more time at local shops and businesses.

Getting your downtown Wi-Fi program off the ground can seem like a daunting task. You can think of every reason in the world to start, but there are so many buildings and then paperwork and finding funds and wires … oh, the wires.

The most important step to getting started is putting together a plan. A plan that works for your community is critical to making sure that you reach your goal and helps you establish buy-in and support within the community.

So we put together a quick four-step process for a successful downtown Wi-Fi program.

Reports by the N.C. Broadband Office helps to understand which local governments offer downtown Wi-Fi and aid the building of downtown networks.

Here are reasons your community should consider building a downtown wireless network to spur growth and serve residents, businesses and visitors.

The Broadband Speed Reporting Tool enables residents and businesses to report internet availability at their homes or businesses and measure speeds.

The N.C. Broadband Office's user-reported mapping initiative which lets residents identify their location and whether they have any internet services.

Lee County Schools has launched a pilot program to provide home Wi-Fi access to third-grade students in the English as a second language program.

The N.C. Broadband Infrastructure Office is launching gives a sneak peek of its user-reported mapping initiative to identify underserved areas.

Mapping broadband coverage tells residents and communities where and what types of coverage they have and what their internet speed needs are.