Digital Divide Series: Chapter 1 
Tampa Housing Authority Offers Gigabit Access

Like many in the age of COVID -19, we did not know how important high-speed Internet access really was until we needed to rely on it for everything. Doctor appointments, shopping, school, work, keeping in touch with loved ones and yes, even our hobbies were now conducted online. We have realized the term ‘Digital Divide’ is not just a rural affliction. Like COVID-19, poor Internet infrastructure knows no boundaries.

Many cities in the US and around the world appear at first glance to be strong urban communities with modern infrastructure, yet true broadband is not ubiquitous. Tampa Bay, a city in central Florida is no exception. When residents of the Tempo housing complex in downtown Tampa found themselves quarantined, many were without internet connectivity due either to financial constraints or limited service options. PBX-Change, a local service provider became aware that communities were suffering and proactively reached out to organizations across their community to identify areas of need. The Tampa Housing Authority which owns and operates the Tempo building was one such organization and PBX-Change connected with them to offer assistance.