BOSTON – September 20, 2017 – Last week, members of the netBlazr team participated in a kick-off event with Korea Telecom, the City of Boston and Madison Park, owner-operators of the Haynes House, an affordable, multifamily housing complex with 130 units.
At the event, the team shared details of how Haynes House residents are receiving 2 years of free internet service and all the necessary equipment. The program is made possible by a generous donation from Korea Telecom. The company is demonstrating new technology that can deliver high speed internet over aging infrastructure with a project to bridge the digital divide for Boston residents.
The Korea Telecom/netBlazr Opening Ceremony was held at 184 Dudley St, Boston, MA on September 15, 2017. In addition to presentations from netBlazr and Korea Telecom, guests also heard from Jascha Franklin-Hodge, the City of Boston’s Chief Information Officer, and members of the Korean Consulate.
“This was a team effort,” said Jim Hanley, founder and CEO of netBlazr. “Our team brought high speed broadband to the building and Korea Telecom’s GiGAwire is being used to connect apartments to Boston’s fastest broadband. It’s all made possible by the progressive thinking of the Madison Park team and with the support of the City of Boston.”
Jascha Franklin-Hodge, City of Boston, Chief Information Officer cited the role of broadband as essential in today’s society for both residents and businesses. “Broadband helps students do their homework and find learning opportunities outside the classroom. It connects adults to job opportunities, training and educational programs. Fast internet supports businesses big and small, whether it’s a tech startup or a retail store that’s selling its products to new customers online.”
In addition, Franklin-Hodge pointed to Boston’s “older housing stock with many buildings that are wired for traditional cable and telephone service, rather than today’s broadband speeds. It is our hope to be the first major city in the US to connect every residence and business to the internet. Projects like this are an important step toward achieving this goal.”
“This pilot project will be used to demonstrate how Boston can increase access to fast broadband even with the limitations of an aging infrastructure,” said Spokesperson, Korea Telecom. “By working with netBlazr, we are able to provide an end-to-end solution for buildings that other providers ignore or avoid.”
Locally owned and operated, netBlazr is Boston’s top choice for high-speed Internet and Boston’s only broadband provider with a 5-star Yelp rating. Meanwhile, Korea Telecom’s GIGAwire allows internet speeds of up to 1Gbps over copper wire, which is still common in many older buildings throughout Boston.
“This is a story about bridging the digital divide,” added Hanley, “Residents of Haynes House, especially the families with school age children, need affordable access to the internet.” Our efforts are part of the Boston Digital Equity Project, which uses Public-private partnerships to improve network infrastructure within the city of Boston. KT’s GiGAwire technology is expected to contribute greatly towards the goals of the Digital Equity Project.
Jeanne Pinado, the chief executive officer of Madison Park Development Corp., acknowledged the digital divide and welcomed the new solution. “We think it will help improve educational outcomes, increase employment opportunities and connect residents socially in a way they haven’t been able to connect before.“
About netBlazr
netBlazr provides affordable, high-speed Internet to Boston residences and businesses as an alternative to the “big guys” who force people into high-cost service bundles that they don’t want.” netBlazr is a locally-owned business that offers “nothing but net”, an Internet connection that is reliable and affordable and nothing else. No gimmicks, games, or tricks. Just broadband. Learn more at netblazr.com.