The WeLink Cities Challenge: Bringing gigabit broadband to your neighborhoods most in need
We’re currently evaluating applications for our mission-driven initiative to bring high-speed internet to households in need.
The WeLink Cities Challenge is a mission-driven initiative to bring affordable, high-speed internet to urban communities. We begin with an open call for local governments to invest and partner with WeLink. Breakthrough wireless technology can help local governments extend the reach of fiber broadband faster and more affordably than traditional in-ground infrastructure. With WeLink, multi-gigabit service is zero-cost to households eligible under the Affordable Connectivity Program.
Need to check the status of your application? Contact us
WeLink Cities applications were submitted by dozens of cities nationwide using the following criteria:
Baseline requirements for each community
- Located in the United States
- Your community has a relatively high population density and manageable tree canopies. (Our tech works best in neighborhoods with at least 600 buildings per square mile and tree canopies covering less than 45% of an area)
- You can make public assets available for compact, wireless equipment. Public assets may include rooftops of publicly owned buildings, street furniture, or light poles
Bonus:
- Has established government capacity for broadband projects
- Will partner with WeLink to provide initial projects a clear pathway to scale
- Have institutional partners working closest to households affected by the digital divide, such as affordable housing authorities, school districts, libraries, hospitals, and churches
- Has community-based organizations or other non-profits working to advance digital literacy
- Can provide capital assistance for certain one-time capital costs associated with serving key neighborhoods (e.g., to reach previously unserved public housing)
Timeline
Evaluation Process
WeLink is currently evaluating applications based on the following criteria:
- Number of initial households connected
- Anticipated date of first households connected Availability of publicly owned real estate and broadband assets.
- Access to backhaul fiber (if publicly-owned fiber is unavailable, we will assess partnerships with fiber providers operating in target neighborhoods)
- Potential to scale
- Overall digital equity impact
WeLink will then work with selected local governments to refine their deployment plan, which may include:
- Detailing the implementation process, including permitting and other procurement requirements, with relevant city stakeholders
- Engaging community-based organizations (CBOs) to discuss digital literacy programming
- Aligning WeLink deployment plans with upcoming funding opportunities from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and other federal or state sources to maximize the number of residents reached.
Not all applicants will be selected as finalists, but WeLink is committed to a transparent process and will keep applicants updated as we progress through evaluation. For applicants not selected, we commit to providing feedback on your application to strengthen our partnership potential in the future.
Please visit our about page to learn more about the WeLink Cities mission and our interest in partnering with you to help support your local community.
