As part of a scalable pilot program, Hawaiʻi County has partnered with T&T Electric and various other organizations and individuals to deliver free Wifi to the Panaewa Park.  The organizations and individuals involved include Spectrum Hawaiʻi, Hawaiian Electric Light Company, Department of Hawaiian Homelands, Councilmember Sue Lee Loy, Ubicquia Smart City Applications, Sustainable Energy Hawaiʻi, David De Luz Jr., and the Hale Mua Cultural Group.

T&T Electric is responsible for installing and maintaining the Ubicquia Ubihub Wifi 6 Access Point located atop an existing streetlight across from the Panaewa Gymnasium. The street light router has low street visibility, provides secure data connectivity, and has an effective radius of 328 feet. This device also provides street light dimming capabilities, energy monitoring, vehicle/pedestrian/bicycle counts, and surveillance via two wide-angle lens cameras.

In a statement Hawaiʻi County Mayor Mitch Roth said, “We are excited to work with a group of incredibly thoughtful partners to deliver free high-speed internet access to our communities.  All of our keiki deserve equitable access to high-speed internet, and finding creative ways to ensure that happens is all part of building a sustainable island where our keiki can thrive and succeed for generations to come. We would like to thank the Panaewa community for being so willing to accept this pilot project as we look to scale to other communities across Hawaiʻi Island.”

The pilot program will continue to monitor and assess the need and feasibility of providing free public Wifi access as it relates to the Panaewa Park area. If deemed a pressing need, the County and its partners will look to scale the project accordingly.

To learn more about the Ubicquia Ubihub Wifi 6 Access Point, visit https://www.ubicquia.com/products/wifi

(Photo credit: Office of Mayor Mitch Roth)