Wichita is trying to narrow the digital divide between rich and poor neighborhoods by offering free Wi-Fi hotspots for check-out in two low-income neighborhoods.
More than 16 percent of Wichitans were below the Census Bureau’s poverty line in 2017, which for a family of four was $25,094. And more than one out of four homes are without internet, according to a study cited by Mayor Jeff Longwell at a news conference Thursday.
A hotspot is a pocket-sized mobile device that provides wireless internet access to Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as a laptop computer or a smartphone. They are typically password protected.
Anyone who is 18 or older and living in Wichita will be able to check out a hotspot with free unlimited internet use for two weeks at a time.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)