City of Clinton extends free WIFI to residents

Three Wi-Fi hotspots have been installed to help residents who are unable to access the internet or have slow internet speeds. Mayor Phil Fisher authorized the expansion of free Wi-Fi access for residents to assist students and employees working remotely during the Coronavirus pandemic.

Wi-Fi hotspots have been deployed in spaces that allow the ability to social distance in an open space.

Wi-Fi locations may be found at:

·       Lion’s Club Park, 251 East Leake Street

·       Wood Activity Center parking lot, 111 Clinton Boulevard

·       Bark Park parking lot, 913 Old Vicksburg Road

These locations operate primarily as “parking lot hotspots”, with Lion’s Club Park offering the service throughout the park.

Social distancing and hygiene precautions are required.

Each hotspot has a firewall and content filters to prevent inappropriate use. No password is required. 

Clinton Mayor Phil Fisher is making availability of W-Fi a priority for the City, especially students living in sections of the City where bandwidth may be limited.

Since 2013, City officials have worked with C Spire, AT&T and Comcast to boost speeds within the City, but demand for expanded speeds by internet service providers continues to outpace their ability to serve the community. Three telecoms currently offer gig speed internet in the City, but demand continues to outpace expansion.

Appropriation of federal funding for rural broadband expansion under the CARES Act does not apply to municipalities, so expansion of Wi-Fi at City facilities is the best option for rapid expansion of internet to underserved residents.

Mayor Fisher believes that offering the free Wi-Fi hotspots will help address the longtime problem of digital inequity that has been amplified by the coronavirus pandemic as residents without reliable home internet struggle to access education and essential services.

Clinton officials believe that robust internet capabilities have become a critical component of our City’s infrastructure and are vital to educational, business and community growth.

“We must see telecom and connectivity as an essential utility, much like water and sewer,” Fisher stated. “Right now we must harness the power of innovation in connectivity for families and businesses to succeed as a community. It is the way we will learn. It is the way of the future.”

Clinton Public School District leadership expressed their appreciation for the expanded internet capabilities as important for current distance education programs.

“Internet accessibility during these unprecedented times has become more important than ever in order to ensure that the students of the Clinton Public School District are able to access virtual instruction,” Clinton Public School District Dr. Tim Martin said. “The school district is very appreciative of the efforts to provide free Wi-Fi hotspots by the City and encourage our students to take advantage of these locations.”

Security cameras are in use at the facilities offering free Wi-Fi to allow residents an additional layer of safety while accessing the internet.

Residents are asked to social distance and follow Coronavirus protocols while utilizing the free Wi-Fi in the parking lots and park. Please do not block driveways at facilities.