North Charlotte Today

After the success of the small-scale pilot program in 2020, Access Charlotte is expanding to provide over 5,000 households and 15 community spaces with free Spectrum Internet and Advanced Wi-Fi. The growth of the program is an important step toward bridging the digital divide that exists throughout the city.

Achieving true digital equity is a significant undertaking that no one organization, public or private, can accomplish alone. That’s why the City of Charlotte has partnered with a number of stakeholders to turn the dream of Access Charlotte into a reality. “We’re excited, as a company, to be participating in the program,” said Vice President of Sales for Spectrum Community Solutions, Lynn Dodson. “Our broadband infrastructure is already in all the buildings, so we’ll be able to move quickly to activate services for the residents.”

Without Spectrum’s involvement, Access Charlotte would be missing a key component of its mission: access to the internet. However, internet access alone does not solve the digital equity problem; residents still need access to working technology, technological support, and internet education. “We’re not only looking at getting individuals and households connected to the internet,” explained Natali Betancur, Deputy Director of the Center for Digital Equity (CDE) at Queens University of Charlotte. “But also, do they need a device that they can utilize that internet on?” Questions like this fuel the CDE’s holistic approach to getting community members connected.

“Digital equity is no longer a luxury, right? Having access is not a luxury. Having access in today’s society is as necessary as your electricity and as your water. Access itself is critical to thrive in today’s modern society,” Betancur insisted. The CDE’s mission is to make Mecklenburg County the most digitally equitable community in America, and they’re not alone in aiming for county-wide equity.

Original source can be found here.