Making Connections: Wilkes Company Sets Up Free Hotspots
Wilkes Communications provides residents with a way to stay connected.
WILKESBORO-When you’re ordered to stay at home in a pandemic, internet access becomes critical. Teachers stream classes with students, pastors preach to their congregations over Facebook and employees work with each other through Slack. The only problem is that not everyone can afford to connect. According to U.S. Census data, 71 percent of Wilkes County households have some type of broadband access, leaving 29 percent isolated. Wilkes Communications worked to solve that problem over the last two weeks, as its employees set up 21 free wifi access points.
“I used to work in education, so I know there’s a huge digital divide out there,” said Jody Call, chief technology officer for Wilkes Communications. “There’s parents who can’t afford broadband. There’s families who need some help.”
To help those families, Call organized a discussion with officials from Wilkesboro, North Wilkesboro and county government, with the aim of setting up hotspots throughout their service region. The project soon involved a number of partners, including Wilkes Community College and multiple fire departments. Because of where the departments are located, they can be a perfect host for a hotspot.
“We aim to help rural customers, so we tried to find out where we could put up wireless hotspots,” Call said.
Currently Wilkes Communications has multiple wifi access points open in the county. They are at the Boomer, Brushy Mountain, Champion, Ferguson, Millers Creek, Moravian Falls, Roaring River, Shepherds Crossroads, Traphill and Wilbar fire stations, as well as Samaritan’s Kitchen of Wilkes and the Wilkes Communications Pavilion in Wilkesboro. There are multiple public access points around downtown North Wilkesboro as well, highlighted by signs. You just simply pull up at the station, turn on your laptop, phone or tablet and search for nearby networks. Then you’ll be able to join the public option.
Access Allowed Under Governor’s Order
And if you’re wondering how this helps during a ‘Stay at Home’ quarantine, a trip to an access point is covered under the exemptions. NWNC reached out to the governor’s office and was directed to two parts of the order, the ones involving education and worship. As both are considered essential, you’re allowed to go to an access point to communicate with teachers, get school assignments or watch your pastor deliver a sermon online. You will have to stay in your vehicle while doing this, however.
It’s not just limited to Wilkes. Through its Riverstreet Networks service, Wilkes Communications owns operations in Buncombe, Catawba, Henderson, Polk, Stokes, Belhaven, Richmond and Montgomery counties in North Carolina, as well as Pittsylvania County and the independent city of Danville in Virginia. They’ve set up 110 hotspots over all of these places in order to help local residents.
“It’s free wireless wifi internet for students, teachers, anyone who needs it,” Call said. “We’re also not disconnecting anyone for non-payment for 60 days. We know it’s a tough time right now and we want to help.”
Call said the service will be available “until we have some kind of normalcy,” adding they would gladly provide it until the fall if need be.
