Wichita residents will be able to borrow internet hotspots for two weeks under a city pilot program partnering with T-Mobile.
Hotspots are available at the Atwater Neighborhood Resource Center, 2755 E. 19th Street, and Colvin Neighborhood Resource Center, 2820 S. Roosevelt. Borrowers must be 18, have identification and proof of address.
The T-Mobile devices are designed for better coverage within buildings and in rural areas, the city said in announcing the program.
About 26 percent of Wichita homes do not have internet access. The city said a study prior to the program’s introduction showed Atwater and Colvin were best-suited to house the projects since homes in their neighborhoods are often blocked by cost in adding internet access.
The hotspots will have filtering in line with the Child Internet Privacy Act, and be protected from fraud, phishing, malicious sites and spyware.
The pilot program, which is underwritten by T-Mobile, lasts eight weeks. After that, the city will use data from the program to decide if it will continue and attempt to find a funding mechanism.
(Read more: Wichita Business Journal)