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U.S. County Brings Free Public Wi- Fi to More Than 30,000+ Rural, Low-Income Students and Workers
A county government in a Southern U.S. state was facing extreme pressure to complete a Wi- Fi project by Dec. 31,2020 (the deadline for CARES Act Funds spending). The county shortened the procurement cycle by avoiding a full RFP, and instead, they leveraged Insight Public Sector’s existing OMNIA Partners contract- saving an estimated four weeks of time.
The challenge: Narrowing the digital divide at a critical time
As the COVID-19 pandemic has swept through the country, various regions and demographics have been hit harder than others. The county had received critical funding as a part of federal government aid and needed to apply these funds strategically to navigate its most pressing challenges.
Each city within the county had claimed its portion of the federal aid to support its citizens; however, residents located outside of city limits had a different set of challenges. Unlike city dwellers, the county’s rural population lacked internet access and is generally living on the less privileged side of the so-called digital divide.
As a result of the pandemic and social distancing guidelines, the county needed to embrace both remote work and distance education. But without proper internet access at home, launching these initiatives proved to be a daunting challenge.
See how the county deployed a Wi-Fi solution, allowing their citizens to learn and work remotely:
https://public.omniapartners.com/suppliers/insight-public-sector-inc/state-local
