With schools moving their classes online in light of COVID-19, many Brown County families are feeling the pressure of not having internet.
In Brown County, local broadband provider Mainstream Fiber Networks worked with the school district to install high-speed internet signal that reaches to the school parking lots and is available to the public, creating 11 new free public Wi-Fi access points across the county.Fi
“During this challenging time, we want to make sure our friends and neighbors have access to broadband when they need it most,” said Bryan Gabriel, founder and CEO of Mainstream Fiber Networks, in a press release. Gabriel is from Brown County.
“These public Wi-Fi access points will allow students to continue eLearning, employees to stay connected with their workplace, and families to remain in touch with loved ones,” he said.
Anyone who wishes to use a public Wi-Fi access point needs to agree to Mainstream’s terms of service and they can log on, no fee or password required.
Mainstream’s new public Wi-Fi access points can be found in these parking lots:
- Brown County Career Resource Center, 246 E. Main St.
- Brown County High School, 235 Schoolhouse Lane
- Brown County Junior High School, 95 Schoolhouse Lane
- Brown County Intermediate School, 260 Schoolhouse Lane
- Helmsburg Elementary, 5378 Helmsburg School Road
- Sprunica Elementary, 3611 Sprunica Road
- Van Buren Elementary, 4045 State Road 135 South
Christiansburg United Methodist Church on Christianburg Road, the Brown County Public Library in Nashville and Cordry-Sweetwater, The Chocolate Moose, the Brown County Visitors Center, Salt Creek Golf Retreat and Nashville Town Hall also have opened their internet connections to the public at no cost.
Students and families are to maintain social distancing in parking lots while using the internet, Brown County Schools Superintendent Laura Hammack reminded parents during a Facebook Live chat last week.
Small broadband providers are being aided by the federal government to help rural communities get connected to the internet.
Senator Todd Young joined a bipartisan group of senators to introduce the Keeping Critical Connections Act, which would appropriate $2 billion for a fund at the Federal Communications Commission under which small broadband providers with fewer than 250,000 customers could be compensated for broadband services.
Providers would qualify if they provided free or discounted broadband services or upgrades during the pandemic for low-income families who could not afford to pay their bills, or provided distance learning capability for students.
The bill is endorsed by NTCA — the Rural Broadband Association, Wireless Internet Service Association and WTA — Advocates for Rural Broadband, Wireless Internet Service Providers Association (WISPA) and the Indiana Rural Broadband Association.
“We remain confident in our ability to provide safe and reliable service to our customers. We are prepared to keep our facilities up and running so our customers can focus on their own lives and caring for their families and their businesses,” said Alan Terrell, president of the the Indiana Rural Broadband Association, in a press release.
