C Spire is providing students forced out of school by the Covid-19 virus with free, complimentary high-speed WiFi Internet so they can access online education content from the safety and convenience of their cars in the parking lot of its company retail store in Indianola.
With many Indianola businesses, offices, libraries and other public buildings closed or operating on limited schedules to comply with social distancing policies, C Spire is offering the free high-speed internet access in the parking lot outside the company retail store at 701 Highway 82 West, during normal business hours.
“In rural states like Mississippi, the digital divide is a harsh reality and many students do not have access to affordable Internet,” said Brian Caraway, general manager of C Spire’s wireless division. “We want to do our part to help all students get access to continuous learning programs and other educational online resources.”
Under the program, students and parents can pull into a C Spire store parking lot, park their vehicle in designated areas and log onto the free high-speed WiFi to help them work on school assignments until schools reopen.
The service also is available in 16 other markets, including Batesville, Bay. St. Louis, Brandon, Brookhaven, Clinton, Columbia, D’Iberville, Greenville, Greenwood, Grenada, Gulfport, Hattiesburg 98, Magee, McComb, Starkville and Waynesboro.
Availability of the service may vary by market based on municipal or county stay-at-home guidelines, rules or local curfews. Access is intended for use by students and educational professionals. C Spire’s sister company, Franklin Telephone, is providing free WiFi outside the Franklin Chess Center, 63 Main Street, in Meadville.
C Spire also is providing, in partnership with local community organizations, free pop up WiFi internet access in the parking lots of the Amite County Courthouse, 243 Main Street in Liberty, Grace Crossing Baptist Church at 598 Yandell Road in Canton, First Baptist Church at 302 West Jackson Street in Ridgeland, Greater Pearlie Missionary Baptist Church at 1604 West County Line Road in Jackson, Christ United Methodist Church, 6000 Old Canton Road in Jackson and First Baptist Church of Crystal Springs, 300 South Jackson Street in Crystal Springs.
Since the onset of COVID-19, C Spire has been staying ahead of customer and community needs. The company modified the
C Spire Health smartphone app in partnership with the University of Mississippi Medical Center to exclusively serve as a COVID-19 triage. C Spire also added extra data and free access to educational websites for its wireless customers, started additional curbside pickup locations, implemented same day delivery, free next-day shipping for most online orders from its 24/7/365 cspire.com website with chat reps to answer questions, and assisted business customers to quickly stand-up work-from-home for their employees.
To learn about other ways C Spire is working to keep communities connected during COVID-19, go to cspirecares.com.
