LA County & WeLink Sign Historic Public-Private Partnership to Bring Internet to Areas Impacted by the Digital Divide

AMTV/Los Angeles, May 7 – The Los Angeles County Community Broadband Networks (CBN) initiative was created to help address the hundreds of thousands of households in the County estimated to be without home internet service. The County’s Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a series of Motions beginning in 2021 to address this issue. ISD was tasked with finding ways to provide reliable broadband internet to low-income communities where over 20% of households do not subscribe to home internet. Through an extensive competitive process, the County selected WeLink as the partner for these first two CBN areas.

WeLink will offer a low-cost home internet plan starting at $25 per month to 50,000 qualified households in South Los Angeles and East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights, surpassing the initial goal in 2022 of serving 12,500 households. They will also offer plans starting at $65 per month to households without qualification requirements. Plans have no promotional rates: Monthly rates, excluding any government fees or taxes, are fixed until at least September 2027.

WeLink offers lightning-fast internet speeds ranging from 500 megabits per second (Mbps) to 2 gigabits per second (Gbps) – up to 20 times faster download speed and up to 100 times faster upload speed than the new Federal Communications Commission broadband benchmark. All plans allow multiple household members to use high-bandwidth applications at the same time, thanks to fast speeds that are the same for both downloads and uploads. Every plan includes unlimited data, a Wi-Fi router, parental controls, and multilingual customer support without credit checks or cash deposits.

“In 2021, I introduced a motion directing Los Angeles County to explore viable options for reliable broadband in our communities impacted by the digital divide. Today, I am thrilled to see the upcoming launch of the Community Broadband Networks, a program in which the County will partner with private internet companies to pilot residential internet services in target communities. In the district I represent, East L.A., Boyle Heights, and Eastside neighborhoods will be the first to participate in the County’s program. Broadband is essential in today’s world, yet there are severe inequities in the availability, reliability, and cost of the internet that will continue to cause disproportionate harm if we do not act. We can’t wait for years or decades to achieve digital equity – we must accelerate our efforts now, with solutions like this public-private partnership. I am also very pleased that the community outreach and support services for the Community Broadband Networks will be provided in multiple languages to reflect Los Angeles County’s vibrant, diverse communities.” – First District Supervisor Hilda L. Solis

“Today, we reaffirm L.A. County’s commitment to ending the digital divide by bringing a truly affordable, world-class broadband option to communities in South LA that have long experienced limited or no internet access. The COVID-19 pandemic made quality internet an undeniable basic necessity. I am proud that we are investing American Rescue Plan Act to expand our efforts to allow every resident to tap into the world of information, connection, and opportunities that internet access provides. This is a significant step, our work is not done. We need our colleagues in the Federal government to take action on fully funding the Affordable Connectivity Program so we can offer internet at no cost to qualifying households who desperately need it.” – Second District Supervisor Holly J. Mitchell

“Think of how many tasks in our daily lives require fast, reliable internet. It is absolutely a game-changer, and soon every Walnut Park family, no matter their economic situation, will have affordable access to it. We’re bridging the gap to the world of opportunities that the internet has to offer.” – Fourth District Supervisor Janice Hahn

“Internet is an essential utility that Los Angeles households rely on. I applaud Los Angeles County leaders for helping make sure that fast, reliable, and affordable internet is available to families so that they can tap into all that internet access provides, including completing schoolwork to accessing public benefits, important information and financial services. I encourage Angelenos living in the communities of East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles to get connected through this vital County program. – Karen Bass, Mayor of Los Angeles

This partnership covers all or portions of these communities in Unincorporated L.A. County or in the City of Los Angeles:

Supervisorial District 1: East Los Angeles, Boyle Heights, Lincoln Heights, Montecito Heights, and El Sereno;
Supervisorial District 2: Adams-Normandie, University Park, Historic South-Central, Exposition Park, Vermont Square, South Park, Central-Alameda, Chesterfield Square, Harvard Park, Vermont-Slauson, Florence, Florence-Firestone, Manchester Square, Vermont Knolls, Gramercy Park, Westmont, Vermont Vista, Broadway-Manchester, Green Meadows, Watts, Athens, Willowbrook, and West Rancho Dominguez; and
Supervisorial District 4: Walnut Park
Construction is expected to begin in Summer 2024, with internet service rolling out beginning in Fall 2024. Major funding is provided by the American Rescue Plan Act. Also, funding for this project has been provided in part through a grant for Local Agency Technical Assistance from a program administered by the California Public Utilities Commission.

Interested households in the two service areas can sign up for updates and be notified by WeLink when service is available at https://WeLink.com/LACounty/ .

“Internet is as essential in the 21st century as electricity was in the 20th. Yet too many families – and even entire communities – still lack home internet service that is fast, reliable, and affordable. Every kid deserves a great education, no matter their zip code. And every family deserves economic opportunity, no matter their bank account. Los Angeles County has made the bold decision to change the status quo and we’re proud that they’ve selected WeLink to be their partner in building a better, faster, fairer internet.” – John Paul Farmer, President of WeLink Cities

“WeLink is a new kind of internet company. We’ve replaced promotional pricing with simplicity and an uneven playing field with fairness. Our subscribers rely on our ultrafast speeds to do their homework, connect with family, and even access healthcare and other critical resources. We take our job seriously because we know that WeLink internet is foundational for modern life. We are embracing this partnership with Los Angeles County so that the residents of South LA and East LA can fully participate in the incredible benefits the internet has to offer.” – Luke Langford, CEO of WeLink

About the County of Los Angeles

Los Angeles County, one of California’s original 27 counties, was established on February 18, 1850. It is one of the nation’s largest counties with 4,084 square miles and has the largest population of any county in the nation – nearly 10 million residents who account for approximately 27 percent of California’s population. As a subdivision of the state, the County is charged with providing numerous services that affect the lives of all residents, including law enforcement, tax collection, public health protection, public social services, elections, and flood control.

About the Internal Services Department

The Internal Services Department (ISD) is a general services organization that supports the County of Los Angeles by providing a range of support services to other County departments in the areas of purchasing, contracting, facilities, information technology, and other support services, such as energy and environmental programs management, parking, and mail services. ISD has been designated by the L.A. County Board of Supervisors as the lead department for residential broadband service initiatives. ISD also administers Delete The Divide, an initiative to advance digital equity in underserved communities through partnerships, infrastructure investments, and technology resources that empower residents and small businesses. For more information, visit https://www.deletethedivide.org/.

About WeLink Communications

WeLink is a rapidly growing internet service provider with the motto “Internet by the people, for the people.” Founded in 2018 by broadband industry veterans who believed there had to be a better way than the broken status quo, WeLink prides itself on delivering consistently fast speeds, stronger Wi-Fi, straightforward pricing, and quality customer service. The company’s groundbreaking technology is faster to deploy and more cost-effective than traditional fiber, making it an ideal solution for many communities. Its urban division, WeLink Cities, was formed to maximize the company’s social impact through partnerships that build on federal, state, and local broadband programs to deliver a digital future in which everybody thrives.

Reporter: Wen Liu