Cincinnati Bell helps low-income families in Covington neighborhoods have access to Wi-Fi for free

Cincinnati Bell’s Unicity is helping bridge the digital equity divide by providing two Covington neighborhoods with free Wi-Fi – as well as expanding their fiber network in other parts of the city.

"This is a game changer forthe City of Covington, and amodel we can use on anationwide basis goingforward"NEW AT 11 - BRIDGINGTHE DIGITAL EQUITY DIVIDE.CINCINNATI BELL'S UNI-CITYPROGRAM-- IS PROVIDING TWOCOVINGTON NEIGHBORHOODS WITHFREE WIRELESS INTERNET.BELL IS ALSO EXPANDING ITSFIBER NETWORK IN OTHER PARTSOF THE CITY.AND IT COMES ATTHE PERFECT TIME -- AS MANYRELY MORE AND MORE ON COMPUTERACCESS DURING THEPANDEMIC.WCPO 9 NEWS REPORTERJAKE RYLE SPOKE WITH A NUMBEROF PEOPLE WHO WILL BENEFITFROM THE PROGRAM."Free Wifi is coming toseveral neighborhoods inCovington, including this one.City Heights.

The folks Italked to here say they'rehappy with the opportunity itbrings."CONNECTING..

A NEWCOMMUNITY.."Let's see.

When they firstcome up here.

We werewondering what they're puttingon the buildings.

They saidfree Wifi.

I was like forreal?

I was like awesome."CINCINNATI BELL'S UNI-CITY..WILL PROVIDE WIFI ACCESS FORTHOUSANDS IN COVINGTON'S CITYHEIGHTS..

AND LATONIA TERRACENEIGHBORHOODS.."I just think it's awesome.We just love it."THE TIMING..ON POINT..We've been waiting, andwaiting for them to turn iton."WITH SCHOOL AROUND THECORNER..

8TH GRADE STUDENT..OLIVIA BOLDEN..

SAYS IT'S ABURDEN OFF HERMOTHER.."My mom was asking how arethey going to have Wifi ontheir tablets?

My mom washappy that we have free Wifi."LESS STRESS..

AND MORE MONEYSAVED..JOHN PUTNAM..

DIRECTOROF UNICITY WITH CINCINNATIBELL.."As horrible as COVID is.

Itdid shine a light on a problemthat has been around foryears.

And the great thing iswith it came a focus andfunding to address these kindof problems."IT ADDS UP..

TO AUNIQUEOPPORTUNITY."the ability to provide hope.How can we affect change in acommunity and give theresidents in that communitythe tools they need to improvetheir lives?"THE CITY OFCOVINGTON..

AND LATONIACOMPANIES BLAIR TECHNOLOGY ANDRE-GADGET..

ALONG WITH HOUSTON-BASED COMP-U-DOPT..

ARESOLVING ANOTHER ISSUE.."A lot of people focus in onexclusively on theWifi/internet.

They don'trealize a huge part of theproblem is the devices."ONE-THOUSAND COMPUTERDEVICES..

WILL BE HANDED OUTTO THOSE INNEED.We just have to worry aboutwork and stuff.

And getting itconnected."A BETTERCONNECTION..

MADE IN THECOMMUNITY.IN COVINGTON..

JAKERYLE, WCPO 9 NEWS.