ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Many people in East Orange County have never had access to broadband internet before.
The county’s new partnership with a private provider will also allow access in rural areas, such as Vitolo/Christmas and South Apopka.
Orange County’s mayors and commissioners on Friday announced a new partnership to expand broadband access to more homes.
“Over the past few months, we’ve partnered with nonprofit organizations to provide Wi-Fi-enabled tablets and laptops to our residents,” said Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings. “We’ve already distributed nearly 700 devices to our residents, and that number is still growing.”
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County leaders hope the measure will close disparities among underserved communities, including Vitolo, Christmas and parts of South Apopka.
Broadband access makes simple things possible, like requesting a prescription, seeing a doctor via telehealth, or attending class.
“Think about all those students who had to go to a Panera or a coffee shop or a McDonald’s to find Wi-Fi,” said District 2 Commissioner Christine Moore, “but these are the same families who struggle with transportation and who were at a distinct disadvantage compared to other families.”
This is just the beginning of a larger plan to expand broadband access across the county.
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