Chattanooga may brag about having the fastest broadband connections to every household in the nation, but even in “Gig City” many households still lack Internet connections and access to web-based health, education and consumer services.
To help bridge that digital divide, the federal utility established nearly a century ago to electrify the South is aiding local initiatives across the Tennessee Valley to expand broadband service, including in Chattanooga’s Orchard Knob neighborhood, where census data indicate 28% of residents still lack broadband access.
As part of a new two-year, $3 million Connected Communities initiative announced this week by the Tennessee Valley Authority, the Orchard Knob Collaborative of public and private identities secured a $600,000 grant to expand access to internet connectivity – as well as digital technology and services – to improve residents’ health and quality of life.
The pilot program aims to reach 1,000 residents in the Orchard Knob and surrounding neighborhoods by installing an additional 21 public Wi-Fi sites as part of the EPB QuickConnect public Wi-Fi network and making other investments in the neighborhood. The Orchard Knob program is among nine projects TVA opted to fund out of more than 40 applicants across TVA’s seven-state region.
Local organizers hope the Orchard Knob project can ultimately serve as a model for similar public Wi-Fi initiatives in other communities.