DEREK MILLER:
This is Derek Miller, Speaking on Business. You may have heard that the NBA All Star Game is coming to Utah, bringing in over 100,000 visitors to the state. Also coming with the big game is some big community support. Here is Tara Thue with AT&T to tell us more.
TARA THUE:
Utah has made strides in increasing broadband access. As president of AT&T Utah, I’ve seen hundreds of millions of dollars invested by our company alone to expand broadband in Utah – which doesn’t even account for investment from other providers.
Unfortunately, the problem remains: more than 3,300 K-12 students1 in the Salt Lake area alone don’t have access to the internet, computers or the skills needed to benefit from being online, an issue known as the digital divide.
That’s why AT&T worked with Human-I-T and local organizations to distribute 325 laptops to those who need help connecting. The Salt Lake Education Foundation, Latinos in Action, Promise South Salt Lake, and Neighborhood House helped us identify students and families in need.
Ahead of the NBA All-Star weekend in downtown Salt Lake, in addition to providing laptops, Human-I-T also provided tech support and talked about low-cost internet options made possible by the Affordable Connectivity Program or ACP.
Mayor Mendenhall and other community leaders joined us for this powerful event, and we look forward to seeing these Utah families connect and thrive.
Derek Miller:
Its great to see companies stepping up to help our students bridge the digital divide. If you or someone you know is struggling to afford internet access, please visit AFFORDABLECONNECTIVITY.GOV. I’m Derek Miller with the Salt Lake Chamber, Speaking on Business.
