Why Try Community Wi-Fi? A Case Study from Council Bluffs

Blink – or Bluffs Community Wi-Fi – is a wireless network established by the Council Bluffs Community School District (CBCSD) and City of Council Bluffs in Iowa that is currently providing free home internet service to nearly 85 percent of the district’s 8,500 students. Launched in 2014, the network was initiated to support the school’s 1:1 learning initiative, but later played a vital role in enabling all CBCSD students to shift seamlessly to at-home learning when the pandemic hit. With dedicated speeds of 10/10 Mbps, the network provides sufficient home connectivity for its students at only a fraction of the cost of the alternatives. The network also serves the general public, extending to public spaces and reaching nearly 40 percent of the homes in the community.
 
A conversation with John Stile, chief technology officer, Council Bluffs Community School District, to learn about the genesis and deployment of this network, including design considerations, technologies, costs, and partnerships.