Elmore County Commission Partnership to Expand Broadband Accelerates Deployment of Wi-Fi Hotspots to Assist with Virtual Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic

About the Program

Category: Community and Economic Development (Best in Category)

Year: 2021

The Elmore County Commission recognized the need for increased broadband access throughout the county and began formulating plans to address the issue in early 2017. The County Commission reached out to partners for assistance to conduct a broadband connectivity study in mid 2019. As the initial phase of the study was being completed in early March 2020, the Elmore County Board of Education Superintendent of Education asked for assistance to find ways to help his students with remote learning. Utilizing the ongoing study and partnerships developed through the study process, the Commission through the County’s Economic Development Authority began creating potential locations that free broadband Wi-Fi Hotspots could be deployed along with mapping existing free Wi-Fi hotspots to point students to as students were forced to begin virtual learning due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shortly after, the County Commission reached out to service providers to discuss an opportunity to partner to provide Wi-Fi Hotspots in rural areas of the county for students to complete education requirements virtually. This initiative would have to take place quickly so students would be able to complete assigned work. Through the foresight of the County Commission and the work completed in the study, the partnership was able to identify and deploy close to 100 Wi-Fi Hotspots available for public use. The County Commission provided funding to help with the cost of equipment and help provide monthly service for the Wi-Fi Hotspots.