A new map rolled out this week by the Michigan Public Service Commission and Connected Nation Michigan pinpoints locations of public Wi-Fi hotspots across the state for people without reliable access to internet services at home.
Officials said hotspots aren’t a permanent solution to getting broadband internet access to all Michigan residents, but said the map could help fill urgent needs as more work, remote school programming and doctor’s visits remain virtual during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This pandemic has shown a real need to tackle the barriers of access, adoption, and affordability to fully enable the opportunities that the internet makes possible,” Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist said in a statement. “If we are going to close the internet gap, we need to make sure we’re doing everything we can in the interim to expand access to existing broadband options for communities where it’s not readily available or affordable.”
Many of the more than 300 hotspots listed on the map are schools, libraries or municipalities that have adopted broadband internet access, and the map includes information on how to access the network.
People who use the hotspots are encouraged to wear masks in public facilities and maintain social distance.
Internet access was an issue for many Michigan residents prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially for those living in remote areas. The state of Michigan and broadband providers are currently partaking in several programs and grants in an effort to expand broadband service into underserved areas.
Since schools have had to turn to remote learning after the pandemic prompted statewide school closures, the state got $390 million from the federal CARES Act to help address gaps in remote learning and other costs associated with continuing to provide education. According to the Michigan Department of Education, more than 28 percent of students live in homes without internet access to support virtual learning.
State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice called the hotspot map a “great free resource” that could help as policymakers continue to seek out more options.
“Because home is now a more obvious extension of school, we need to narrow and ultimately eliminate the digital divide," he said. “Much more needs to be done, especially with connectivity, which is very expensive or inaccessible in more remote areas.”
Click here to access the hotspot map.
©2020 MLive.com, Walker, Mich. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
