Brenda Marie Rivers
Cisco has partnered with the city of Dallas and New York-based digital services firm Presidio to install information technology infrastructure in public areas to provide internet connectivity to underserved communities.
Cisco agreed with the Dallas Office of Resilience and Department of Information and Technology Services to provide IT and digital infrastructure donations as part of the company’s Country Digital Acceleration program, Cisco said Wednesday.
Under the partnership, Cisco will install public WiFi hotspots outside four Dallas Public Library locations and provide video endpoint technologies inside designated library facilities to enable community access to virtual services without needing to log onto a computer.
The endpoint units are meant to support Dallas City Council activities as well as other community engagement functions following the safe reopening of facilities.
“Achieving ubiquitous internet takes a village; we are proud of this important initiative with the City of Dallas that will provide WiFi to underserved communities in a time of seemingly essential need,†said Nick Michaelides, senior vice president for U.S. public sector at Cisco.
The company noted that its work will build on prior regional and national digitization programs under the CDA effort across 36 countries.
