Several cities deploy community Wi-Fi in US despite lack of national vision

It’s rather surprising that despite the fact that billions of dollars are about to be distributed to US states from the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act for the purpose of closing the digital divide, there are no major government initiatives to establish community Wi-Fi in urban areas. The only federal funds currently available to help people access Wi-Fi are through the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides discounts for internet service to eligible low-income households. And there might also be a smattering of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) projects still getting funds for Wi-Fi. Despite the lack of a national vision to provide Wi-Fi to close the digital divide, community Wi-Fi does exist in the US. In locales ranging from New York City to Council Bluffs (IA) to San Jose (CA) some municipalities have established Wi-Fi networks for the benefit of their citizens. And they seem to be successful.