HANCOCK — COVID-19 is simultaneously creating more need for many people to access the internet and reducing the places from which they can log on. 

To fill that need, a network of free wifi hotspots is being installed in the four-county area through a partnership between the Portage Health Foundation, up.net, Peninsula Fiber network and Regional Educational Media Center 1 (REMC1). 

There had been a number of requests from the community, including from a Houghton County commissioner who had gotten a compelling letter from a resident about the impact of connectivity issues. 

“When we started talking about it here, we were able to reflect on how that lack of connectivity affects people access to information,” as well as access to telehealth, he said. 

Store began talking to up.net, which had been thinking along the same lines. They provided labor for installation and streaming on their network, while PHF provided some funding for hardware. 

Peninsula Fiber Network had also been talking to Baraga Telephone Co., which operates up.net, even before they learned of Portage Health Foundation’s plan, said general manager David McCartney. 

“I knew it was something we could do with relatively little ongoing expense, not only for education, but for people looking to do job searches and get access to information,” he said. “I firmly believe broadband is a necessity in today’s economic environment.”

Recognizing that school systems would be a likely partner, Store reached out to REMC, which provides technical support to local districts. The equipment was picked to align with what REMC used, so if the program ended, it could be donated to them, Store said. 

“It just all worked out and we’re hoping this will serve as a way multi-sector collaboration can come together and solve this connectivity issue to some extent in our rural community,” he said. 

Locations so far include the Copper Country Mall in Houghton, Louie’s Fresh Market in Lake Linden, Little Gippers in Calumet, and up.net buildings in Alston, Chassell, Houghton and Tapiola. 

They are hoping to have close to three dozen hotspots up and running over the next several weeks, Store said. 

Every Peninsula Fiber they approached about locating a hotspot on their property said yes, McCartney said. 

“It’s a pretty good community, and very committed to helping,” he said. “I think it showed up in the flood from two years ago, and I think it shows up in daily life.”

Peninsula Fiber is also considering offering hotspots in other places throughout its service area, particularly in the U.P., McCartney said. 

So far, Store is anticipating the hotspots will stay up through the start of the school year. Whether they continue beyond that will depend in part on what school instruction looks like in the fall. 

“If we end up with any kind of restricted schedule at the school level, that would likely influence the decision to keep it up and running,” he said. 

It will also depend on how much they’re used. During their soft opening, they’ve been getting between 30 to 40 users per day. Wayfinding signs will also be put up, Store said. 

“Right now, we’re very pleased with the amount of usage they’ve been getting in the short time they’ve been up and running,” he said. 

The wifi hotspots are open to the public, with no password required. They are active from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and do not track personal usage. 

More information and a map of free hotspots can be found at phfgive.org/wifi.