(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted today announced a broadband expansion project in Mt. Healthy that will provide high-speed internet to approximately 3,000 residents and create public hotspots around the city. Today’s announcement is part of Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted’s BroadbandOhio Connectivity Grant program to enhance and expand high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved Ohioans.
The State of Ohio, Hamilton County, Mt. Healthy City Schools, and the City of Mt. Healthy have partnered with altafiber to increase digital equity and drive more access to educational, healthcare, and employment opportunities through broadband Internet.
Through the partnership, altafiber and its Smart City organization – branded as UniCity – will deliver fiber-enabled, high-speed public Wi-Fi to the following apartment complexes: Clovernook Apartments, Compton Lake, Burney View, and Lake of the Woods. In total this represents 828 apartment units that will have access to the public Wi-Fi.
In addition, altafiber will provide high-speed public Wi-Fi in Mt. Healthy City Park and the Central Business District of Mt. Healthy along Hamilton Avenue (from Kemper Avenue to Adams Road) and along Compton Road (from Hamilton Avenue to Clovernook Avenue). The community will be able to access the high-speed public Wi-Fi through a splash page at “_MtHealthyFreeWi-Fi.”
Lake of the Woods, Burney View, and the City Park are fully functional today. Clovernook and the Central Business District are under construction. The remaining locations are expected to be completed in approximately 90 days.
“You can’t be part of the modern economy, education system, and health care system without access to broadband – it is a necessity,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “Thousands of residents will now have access in their homes, and everyone can enjoy high-speed Internet in spots around Mt. Healthy.”
“This project illustrates what can be done when the private and public sector collaborate. By working together, Mt. Healthy City School District, the City of Mt. Healthy, the State of Ohio, and altafiber are increasing information accessibility for our residents and bridging the digital divide,” said James Wolf, Mt. Healthy Mayor.
“Our partnership between altafiber’s UniCity team and the City of Mt. Healthy has enabled Mt. Healthy City Schools to provide reliable Wi-Fi to our students and the residents of Mt. Healthy,” said Dr. Valerie Hawkins, Mt. Healthy Schools Superintendent. “Digital equity requires our students to have reliable computers and Internet access to bridge the digital divide. The students of Mt. Healthy City Schools deserve every opportunity to help them achieve their potential. Removing the obstacle of reliable Wi-Fi is a step closer to equity for our students.”
“We were thrilled to assist the City of Mt. Healthy in connecting more Hamilton County residents, schools, and businesses to the Internet over Wi- Fi,” said the President of the Hamilton County Board of County Commissioners Stephanie Summerow Dumas. “Through federal relief funding, we’ve been able to make a transformative investment in our community’s ability to increase digital equity.”
“altafiber is excited to be part of this important initiative that will connect more individuals to educational, healthcare, and employment opportunities, and drive more economic development opportunities in the City of Mt. Healthy,” said Leigh Fox, President and CEO of altafiber. “We appreciate the partnership with the State of Ohio, Hamilton County, and Mt. Healthy government and school officials to increase digital equity for this great community.”
Mt. Healthy City Schools and the City of Mt. Healthy are the most recent organizations to partner with UniCity and implement a Smart City solution. UniCity also has partnerships with municipalities including Wyoming, Fairborn, Covington, Dayton’s Oregon District, Housing Authority of Covington, Village of Lockland, Montgomery County, and Boone County.
To learn more about the administration’s efforts to expand broadband across Ohio, visit Broadband.Ohio.Gov.
