WKSU Stories

Housing Authority Partners to Offer Free Internet Access

Ideastream Public Media | By Gershon Harrell

Published February 27, 2019 at 9:57 PM EST

Students who have access to Chromebooks are the primary targets of wifi hotspots that will be available to AMHA residents.

Akron students who live in subsidized housing will be able to access the internet when they're at home under a new initiative.

The Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority has partnered with Sprint to offer WiFi to residents.

Sprint will provide 235 hotspots for AMHA, according to community relations manager Joan Davidson. She said they will specifically target public school children of all ages who have access to Chromebooks.

“We know that folks in poverty may not have access to the internet, may not have access to devices, and lack some of that digital literacy and safety and things you can do in productivity on the internet. So we’re looking to address those three topics with our residents.”

Davidson says, residents will get three gigabytes a month and have check-ins every ninety days to make sure the service is being used appropriately.