Wireless Internet Access

Status of WiFi Programs in the City of Charlottesville

May 3, 2012

Family Internet Access Survey

Student assignments, online resources and electronic textbook use will grow with implementation of CCS computer initiative

Goal of the survey was to reach out to community to identify current access to technology within the home

Confirmation of access to a computer and access to the internet were solicited

Overall 42% of all families with rising secondary students responded

An average of 22% of those that responded do not have internet access from home

Incoming CHS Students Surveyed Spring 2011

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19% 8th Do not have a home computer 73 of 183 = 40% of grade responded21% 9th Do not have a home computer 90 of 257 = 35% of grade responded20% 10th Do not have a home computer 114 of 282 = 40% of grade responded16% 11th Do not have a home computer 100 of 263 = 38% of grade responded

Incoming Middle Students Surveyed Spring 2011

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Buford Walker19% 6th Do not have a home computer 22% 4th Do not have a home computer27% 7th Do not have a home computer 30% 5th Do not have a home computer

77 of 191 = 40% of 6th grade responded 68 of 191 =36% of 4th grade responded

73 of 161 =45% of 7th grade responded 74 of 159 = 47% of 5th grade responded

Geographic Distribution of Responses

Rationale for Student Tablet Selection Instead of Thin ‘Connected’ Computers

Windows 7 Tablet Computers for Students

Similar to thin client - light weight, long battery life and limited moving

parts

Provide offline access securely to instructional resources, content

creation and ebook reading saved to local storage

In the Fall students will have the option to access to shared virtual CCS

computers for those that wish to occasionally leverage a home, library

or community computer for coursework

Other Localities with Municipal Networking Roanoke Virginia installed free WiFi zones in 2003 in its downtown area,

centered within the Market Square area with coverage available outdoors in one to two blocks in all directions

Bristol Virginia installed fiber in 2003 with Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU), creating a nonprofit called "Optinet“. Currently it is a municipal broadband Internet service that covers Bristol as well as the Southwest portion of the state of Virginia with approximately 9,000 paying customers.

14 others in Virginia are deploying networks. Mostly fiber and a few wireless. http://www.ecorridors.vt.edu/networks/?network_id=23

Nationally nearly 50 localities have been identified that provide variations of WiFi. Mostly coverage of downtown and park areas similar to Charlottesville.

Many are free and some cost.

Factors and Next Steps

Statewide offering of Comcast Terms of service restricted by family participation in Free & Reduced Lunch

Program Accounts in good standing Not a customer of Comcast internet service within past 90 days

City of Promise Planning Grant Network Implementation Grant

Considering options for long term solution in specific area of the city Considering tiered internet service program Includes evaluation of providers and costs. National providers and vendor currently leasing

school wireless spectrum

City Fiber Network Agreement Restrictions Guidance from School Board?