The 2020 ACS Census 5-year Estimates show nearly 1 in 4 Allegheny County households still use dial-up, rely only on a cellular plan, or lack Internet access completely. In some underserved communities, such as Homewood, that rate rises to 57%.

Most people can’t imagine living without reliable Internet today, but many still do not have access options at home or simply cannot afford it. Yet, high-speed access is necessary to do thorough research on assistance and social service programs, find out school district information, research and complete online job applications, join regular community or employment meetings, or even submit homework.

This issue is known as the Digital Divide. It excludes people who lack Internet access from digital spaces. Community Internet Solutions is working in historically underserved communities in Southwest Pennsylvania to remove this barrier. We are skilled in rolling out affordable, high-quality network infrastructure that rapidly provides. We actively seek partner relationships that pinpoint true community need first. We meticulously steward our portfolio of resources to ensure long-term stability, privacy, and security for each of our end-users. We are Community Internet Solutions, and this is how we promote digital equity as one of the first and only nonprofit Internet Service Providers in the United States.

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For the community members we serve, we simply connect them to great Internet, protect their data, connect them to any resources they need, and do all this at prices people can afford.

Our goal in creating a community-based, nonprofit Internet Service Provider is to end the digital divide in southwestern Pennsylvania by providing Internet service directly to people who need it most. We do this by forming partnerships with those who already serve their communities, school districts, service agencies, local governments, and businesses. Then we work to learn from them and leverage their resources to build sustainable Internet infrastructure serving those who need it most. Read more here about how we Bring The Web.

Major Internet service providers tend to focus their networks in densely populated areas, maximizing their profits; our mission-driven staff and volunteers take a different approach. We use a variety of solutions and meaningful community partnerships to solve complex issues and tailor our network to the needs of the individual communities we serve. This allows us the flexibility to make connections in locations that others deem unserviceable. As a nonprofit, we can leverage funding from the Affordable Connectivity Program, grants, and partnerships with community organizations to ensure that everyone has affordable access to online services that are a modern necessity.