Collaboration in Louisville brings broadband access to underconnected neighborhood

Louisville, KY has launched an innovative approach to help close the digital divide in its community. Similar to a rural Virginia “pop-up” success, the PCN Gigabit Experience Center, located in a community center, brings together resources to provide broadband access to an underconnected community.

The gigabit center opened in an area of town with so little public Internet access that “the neighborhood didn’t even have a place where residents could grab a coffee and hop onto Wi-Fi,” according to Grace Simrall, Louisville’s chief of civic innovation. Through collaboration between the local government, community groups, and philanthropic groups, the gigabit center provides free laptops for loan and a fiber Internet connection in a public workspace six days per week. Oh, and a local shop brings coffee, too.

“The growth of Louisville’s digital economy must be inclusive of all residents no matter their ZIP code — for the budding entrepreneurs and innovators of today and for the families of tomorrow,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “The PNC Gigabit Experience Center allows residents of Russell and the entire city to realize the potential that technology has for the future of our community and economy.”

Links:

Louisville, Ky.’s Gigabit Experience Center Brings Fiber Connection Speeds to ‘Network Connectivity Desert’ (Government Technology, May 26, 2017)

Community partnership leads to “pop-up” broadband access (Speed Matters, May 19, 2017)