The city of Syracuse is taking a milestone step to bridge the digital divide, that prevents many residents from having reliable high-speed internet service. The city has begun signing up eligible residents for a free community broadband program.
Eva Albert has already signed up for the program called Surge Link and knows what she’ll do when she has access to reliable internet.
"I'm gonna need to check on my Social Security," Albert said. "And then I'll call my kids. I can talk to my kids then on the tablet."
It’s seniors like Albert on fixed income, people looking for jobs, and students, who have struggled because they can’t afford high-speed internet, according to city officials. Initially, this program offers free internet to 2,500 households in three low-income neighborhoods. A Geneva company, Community Broadband Networks, is designing, installing and maintaining the Syracuse network, which operates through antennas placed in strategic areas throughout the city.
“Antennas are connecting directly into the homes to a router which allows for the private secure service," Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh said. "So as opposed to a typical public Wi-Fi which is an open network and not secure, this is kind of a hybrid model, that is still ultimately providing Wi-Fi service but in a way that is secure.”
The program initially is being funded through $3.5 million of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Walsh said going forward, they’ll look for other sources of funding and hopefully expand to other parts of the city.
"To be able to launch the program free of charge right now I think is critical, to getting uptake of the service for us to establish proof of concept, and be in a stronger position to both secure resources and again ultimately to grow the service," Walsh said.
Walsh said it’s a milestone step in bridging the digital divide in Syracuse. He said a quarter of residents currently don’t have access to reliable, high-speed internet, and a third of Syracuse City School District students are without the service.
