URBANA, Ill. –The COVID-19 pandemic accentuated what was already known about digital connectivity: millions of American don’t have access to high-speed internet; many of those are in rural communities.

Children attending daily virtual learning, coupled with adults working from home and businesses transitioning to virtual buying experiences, shined a brighter spotlight on the gaps in reliable internet accessibility.

University of Illinois Extension is filling the gap by offering free Wi-fi access from the parking lots of some of its 115 Illinois offices. The effort is part of the American Connection Project. An interactive map lists free Wi-fi access locations provided by Extension and other cooperating partners of the project.

"The expansion of free Wi-fi access locations is a step toward narrowing the digital inequalities in the state, providing some immediate relief for Illinoisans attempting to complete work, school, and business obligations," says James Hazzard, Extension information technology director.

WRITER: Judy Mae Bingman, Marketing and Communication Manager, Illinois Extension