Some 30,000 people living in the Grove Hall neighbourhood in Boston will now be able to get online, thanks to a new free Wi-Fi service.
According to bostonglobe.com, the service is called ‘Wicked Free Wi-Fi’ and over the next couple of years it will be rolled out to 20 of Boston’s commercial districts. Currently, an area of 1.5 square miles is covered.
The Grove Hall neighbourhood was chosen as the launch site due to the number of poorer families who live there and perhaps cannot afford high-speed internet services. Most residents will be able to access the Wi-Fi from within their own homes and have a signal strong enough to live stream a film or video clip.
Mayor Marty Walsh says it’s “essential” to provide free public Wi-Fi within Boston’s neighbourhoods.
“We want every Bostonian to have the same opportunities in today’s digital world,” he explains, reports bostonmagazine.com. “Wi-Fi access plays a significant role in every aspect of our lives from learning to earning. Our goal is to strengthen and expand our public network and reach more families and businesses.”
He adds that the free service will also be helpful to businesses, by attracting new customers and keeping current ones in cafés or restaurants for longer.
