LINCOLN HEIGHTS, Ohio — A lack of internet connection is more than a temporary headache for some, impacting their work and day-to-day life.
To help, municipalities across Hamilton County received grants to increase the public's access to free Wi-Fi in places like Lincoln Heights. A few years ago, the village requested and received at least a $150,000 grant to install free public Wi-Fi access points.
“Phase 1 of our public Wi-Fi system has been installed and is operational," former interim village manager Charles Lemon said during the village council meeting Dec. 16.
But residents say they're still not seeing any differences.
“I don’t see any public Lincoln Heights Wi-Fi," resident Immanuel Floyd said as he tried to find the public network.
Watch our story on the lack of public Wi-Fi here:
WCPO requested and received public records showing the village wanted funding for community Wi-Fi.
The village's request for funds says in part, "The Village of Lincoln Heights is building a free public Wi-Fi system to provide broadband access to all of the residents in Lincoln Heights. This is our solution of bridging the digital divide in a community that is a technological desert."
WCPO attempted several times for weeks to sit down and interview officials to get a clearer picture and more information about the public Wi-Fi project. However, they have not agreed to requests for interviews.
Even business owners like Naeil Salah are seeing the impact of the Wi-Fi disconnect.
"So sometimes (I'm) having people come down just to ask me for my Wi-Fi password so they can get on their phone sometimes just to pay the cost of their meal by Apple Pay, sometimes so they can get in contact with family members to pick them up," said Salah.
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