Rockford is one of 27 cities that will get help closing “the digital divide” under a White House pilot program.
The plan is called ConnectHome. The idea is to connect 275-thousand low income homes to the internet. That means broadband access, training, and even devices for people living in public housing.
28 cities and the Choctaw nation were chosen in a competitive process. Rockford is the only city in Illinois taking part in this pilot. It’s part of President Obama’s plan to make high speed internet available to nearly every young American. He says without that access, they are being denied the tech skills needed in today’s economy. Senator Dick Durbin called Rockford’s participation in the program “an important investment in our state’s future.”
