Junction welcomes free Wi-Fi

WESTERN BUREAU:

RESIDENTS OF Junction welcomed the opportunity to be able to browse the Internet while on the go and to access data critical to educational needs in the St Elizabeth town.

The residents say that they have been able to access the Internet through a hotspot installed by the Universal Service Fund (USF), but it was limited to the Junction taxi park.

Yesterday, Colleen D yer, vice president of the Bull Savannah Community Development Committee, lauded the Government for expanding the service,

“It is an awesome move by the Government to provide free Wi-Fi access to residents of the area,” Dyer told The Gleaner at the official launch of the service. “No longer will they be worried about being disconnected while being on the road while doing business online.”

Dyer is also encouraging the public, including students, to use it in a positive way as “it’s for the benefit of all, especially our children”.

One of those students, Shakem Vidal of B.B. Coke High School, said that the Wi-Fi will be very helpful, given the demand for Internet service to facilitate communication and data dissemination.

“I have been using this public Wi-Fi since it was in the testing stages almost a year ago and now that it is being launched officially, I am looking forward to continuing surfing for relevant information for my schoolwork,” said Vidal.

He further shared that he has been using the service in deep rural St Elizabeth to access social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Shelly Ann Ford, a vendor who operates in the Junction town square, noted that the service will be beneficial to children doing research as well as residents who cannot afford a data plan.

“Given what transpired in the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic, they should have expanded and launched the service a long time ago,” Ford argued.

Prior to Friday’s launch, residents in the parish capital of Black River were granted similar access.

The previous Friday, the USF, i n partnership with Digicel Jamaica, launched the Savanna-la-Mar Public access Wi-Fi network facility, valued at $20 million.

In Hanover, residents in the town of Lucea are also now benefiting from another such investment, valued at $15 million.

Vendor Shelly Ann Ford welcomed the launch of the Universal Service Fund Junction public access Wi-Fi service yesterday, noting the benefits to students and other residents.

PHOTOS BY HERBERT MCKENIS Shakem Vidal, a student of B.B. Coke High School, is looking forward to making use of the free Internet service in Junction, St Elizabeth.