We live in the heart of Silicon Valley, but even in San Mateo County we have a significant digital divide between those with high speed Internet access and those with slow speed or no access. The County believes that providing high speed Internet access is the 21st century equivalent to building roads. Providing the infrastructure so that all residents have equal access to online resources is critical to supporting our shared vision of a healthy, safe, prosperous, livable, environmentally conscious, and collaborative community.
In 2014, the County of San Mateo launched its SMC Public WiFi program to help build out this infrastructure and provide these modern on ramps to the resources available online. In addition to servicing unserved and underserved communities, SMC Public WiFi supports educational opportunities for students, spurs local economic development, and provides greater access to County services. We invite you to learn more about the program and provide us with feedback.
The (Wi-Fi) project has given people in town access to the Internet that they haven’t had before, and it’s been beneficial to the business community as visitors can get connected while shopping or waiting at a restaurant.
The (SMC) Public Wi-Fi project is closing the digital opportunity gap by providing hundreds of youth and families with the possibility of fully participating in the digital, online revolution.