Legislation to Provide Clevelanders With Affordable Internet Advances in Council

The long push to bridge the digital divide in Cleveland is nearing a milestone as an ordinance to provide Cleveland residents with low-cost, high-speed internet was passed in Cleveland City Council’s Utilities Committee with amendments from committee chair Councilman Brian Kazy.

“There were many questions and concerns I and other council members had that needed to be allayed before providing city funding,” Councilman Kazy said. “I’ve worked over the past several months to ensure the legislation, which was introduced earlier this year, answers those concerns.”

Cleveland City Council designated $20 million of American Rescue Plan Act Funds two years ago to address the long-standing issue. As of 2021, roughly 35 percent of Cleveland households lacked home broadband internet and 17 percent of Cleveland households had no broadband connection at all.

If passed, the initiative will have the city partner with Cleveland-based nonprofit DigitalC to expand its network and provide residents with connections at just $18 a month.

EmpowerCLE+, DigitalC’s internet service, would support a family of six – roughly ten devices – with a minimum of 100/100 Megabits per second (Mbps).

Plans stalled over the summer, as council questioned how DigitalC would adapt from its existing base of about 2,000 customers to city-wide coverage, citing DigitalC’s previously failed efforts to come through on promises of rapid expansion.

EmpowerCLE+ has an internal commitment to sign up 23,500 households but, unlike traditional low-cost internet initiatives, its high-speed network will be available for $18 a month without restrictions to all 170,000 Cleveland households.

In Thursday’s Utilities Committee meeting, council members amended the legislation to require DigitalC meet annual performance standards for both signing and keeping customers. EmpowerCLE+ has an internal commitment to sign up 23,500 households but, unlike traditional low-cost internet initiatives, its high-speed network will be available to all 170,000 Cleveland households.

DigitalC President Joshua Edmonds maintains that EmpowerCLE+ will impact Cleveland residents regardless of whether they enroll.

“It still is a necessary shift in the marketplace where, if I'm another internet provider, I now know I've got an affordable option so I can’t nickel and dime everybody to death,” Edmonds said in May. “Even if someone doesn't take [DigitalC Wi-Fi] we’re the necessary cloud that is gonna be hovering over–an affordability cloud that at any given point, we can make it rain.”

If the legislation passes in the Finance, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee, it will go up for a vote in Council at large.

“Councilman Kazy and the Utilities Committee members took their time on this legislation, and today had an in-depth conversation and made some important amendments,” said Council President Blaine Griffin. “I look forward to hearing this piece in the Finance, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee soon."

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