Low-Cost Network in Pittsburg Offers Freedom From the Big Guys

Technology company Meta Mesh announced this week the expansion of a wireless mesh network in a "struggling neighborhood" in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Community-owned mesh wireless networks like one established in Pittsburg help residents maintain their privacy at a much lower cost than Internet Service Providers like Comcast and Time Warner.

The PittMesh effort like the KC Freedom Network built by the Free Network Foundation in Kansas City promises a level of freedom and privacy not found on the expansive (and expensive) Internet maintained by the large ISPs.

See the following video to learn about mesh networks in simple terms.



Let's be clear - most people don't need or don't know what to do with the higher speeds offered by Google Fiber, AT&T, and now Consolidated Communications' 1 gigabit per second speeds at $69.95. In fact, organizations like Connecting for Good chomp at the bit to take a single gigabit network connection and cover a whole neighborhood like the Northeast KCK neighborhood, where they partnered with FNF to provide a mesh network. CFG's approach is geared towards empowering low-income residents by providing low-cost computers, training and Internet access, all crucial components towards digital literacy.

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