WeLink, a next-generation fixed wireless broadband provider, said today that the first phase of its network deployment to Washington D.C. is complete, with chosen households currently having free access to gigabit internet service. The first phase of network rollout, which began in Ward 5, was finished in just 30 days, marking a watershed moment in a collaborative effort to bridge the digital gap across the nation's capital. WeLink and Washington, D.C. will provide cheap, high-speed internet connections to thousands of low-income families by the end of the year under the Community Internet Program.
WeLink high-speed internet in Washington D.C., as the first broadband provider to participate in the Community Internet Program, expands on Mayor Muriel Bowser's commitment to giving every person a fair opportunity. The program grants open access to public infrastructure to any broadband provider willing to provide D.C. residents with economical internet access with download and upload speeds of at least 200 Mbps.
The WeLink Communities Digital Equity Program is a public-private collaboration that provides next-generation technologies to assist cities in closing the digital gap and providing cheap, high-speed internet to low-income homes. WeLink wireless technology is faster to build and less expensive than traditional in-ground fiber with public-infrastructure access. WeLink and Washington D.C. completed the first phase of broadband internet rollout in under 30 days, providing gigabit internet to D.C. households for the first time at no cost to citizens.
“WeLink’s groundbreaking wireless technology and this new partnership with Mayor Bowser mean that Washingtonians now have affordable gigabit-speed internet. With public infrastructure access provided through the Community Internet Program, WeLink has delivered ultrafast internet to families in the Trinidad neighborhood in a record 30 days. Families will no longer go without broadband because they cannot afford it, and they can now get the high-speed in-home connectivity they need for school, work, and to stay connected with loved ones. WeLink is thrilled to partner with Washington, D.C. to provide no-cost broadband to the people of Washington, D.C. – starting in Ward 5 now and expanding to other neighborhoods in the near future,”
John Paul Farmer, president of WeLink Cities and former chief technology officer of New York City
"We are thus far extremely satisfied with our WeLink experience. Their staff was top-notch, and best of all, the speeds are the fastest we’ve ever experienced in our home. This is an extraordinary opportunity for D.C. residents and we would encourage anyone with access to take advantage,” said Ward 5 residents Lane and Anna Lofton.
Today, roughly, a quarter of Americans do not have a home internet connection, and budgetary limitations are a primary cause of this omission. Millions of homes in big American cities regularly live without broadband, and millions more pay exorbitant costs for simply acceptable connectivity. This digital gap exacerbates numerous issues for low-income and minority groups.
As it expands coverage across the District, WeLink will offer symmetric gigabit download and upload speeds with prices as low as $0 per month for qualifying families. Every WeLink membership also comes with unlimited bandwidth, free expert installation and configuration, and whole-home WiFi.