JAMAICA: Hanover Communities Get Free Wi-Fi

#Kingson, May 2, 2023 – Parents struggling to provide Internet access for their children in Hopewell and Mount Peto, Hanover, can now breathe a sigh of relief.

This follows the establishment of community Wi-Fi hotspots in the areas, courtesy of the Universal Service Fund (USF) under its Community Connect initiative.

The rural districts are two of the latest locations to benefit from the project, which provides free Internet connection to underserved and unserved sections in Jamaica.

Both sites were launched on Thursday (April 27).

In an interview at the commissioning ceremony in Hopewell, Principal of Bethel Primary, Jasmine Beckford Johnson, said the USF has done an enormous deed.

“Now that Hopewell has a hotspot and free Wi-Fi service, I know that the children will be able to do homework, assignments and research. And things are going to be a lot easier on parents, because they no longer have to worry about this part of their education. Some of them are unemployed, so they cannot access Wi-Fi at home or purchase data for their children on a regular basis,” she said.

Other members of the communities are also benefiting from the connection and are encouraged to utilise the service for worthy purposes, such as skills development. Up to 200 persons can connect to the Wi-Fi facility at any one time.

“Hopewell is not going to be left behind anymore. Hopewell in now in the same place as [communities] in Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Catherine. So, we are very grateful,” the Educator said.

Member of Parliament for Hanover Eastern, Dave Brown, recommended the areas to the USF. He noted that other communities in his constituency are being considered for the programme.

For his part, Chief Executive Officer of the USF, Daniel Dawes, urged the residents to protect the facility.

He underscored that the free Internet access plays a critical role in facilitating communication and connectivity, particularly in remote and underserved communities, even as it promotes personal and professional growth.

The USF, an agency of the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology, is mandated to provide Internet connectivity and increase the use of information and communications technology (ICT) devices across the country.

Contact: Rocheda Bartley

Release: JIS