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Fiber Optic Network Expansion for Digital Equity and Connectivity

Solution Overview

The City of Los Angeles is partnering with internet providers to expand Wi-Fi access to all residents, with particular emphasis on vulnerable populations.[2][4] This approach addresses the digital divide affecting 15% of Angelenos who live in households without broadband subscriptions, a gap that disproportionately impacts low-income households and individuals who identify as Black or Latino.[6] The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a series of motions beginning in 2021 to address the hundreds of thousands of households in the County estimated to be without home internet service.[5]

Technical Components

The Bureau of Street Lighting installed 1.5 miles of underground fiber optics cable stretching from Leimert Park Plaza to the Hyde Park Metro Station as part of the Crenshaw Community Connectivity Pilot.[3][8] Building on existing city-owned street lighting assets, the Bureau worked with Cisco to deploy cloud-managed outdoor access points and Cisco Ultra-Reliable Wireless Backhaul (URWB), enabling free Wi-Fi at public spaces along the corridor.[3][6] The technology uses fiber communications infrastructure and wireless backhaul technology provided by Cisco, with Presidio serving as the technology integrator.[9][6] The Bureau is using a small portion of the total capacity of this fiber optics infrastructure to pilot one year of free public WiFi at public spaces along the corridor.[8] The Bureau's infrastructure, including electrical power and light poles, provides a foundation on which the city is adding other services, including broadband internet infrastructure.[7] The Wi-Fi infrastructure was designed as a platform to support future smart cities use cases, such as data-driven traffic management, increased pedestrian and public safety, improved emergency response and environmental sensing technology.[3]

Implementation Details

In 2023, the Bureau of Street Lighting launched a project to extend broadband internet access to underserved and unserved communities in the city.[7] The Bureau worked directly with the Digital Inclusion unit to prepare and launch infrastructure pilots funded through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), aiming to bring digital equity to Los Angeles.[7] In partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the Bureau is actively working to bridge the digital divide utilizing Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to develop the infrastructure needed to provide basic internet access.[2] The project objectives include providing 300 public Wi-Fi access points in the highest need communities, improving equitable and affordable access from telecommunications companies for all residents and businesses, and providing connected innovation zones for residents and businesses to build on this access.[2] The project focuses on areas where the digital divide is high and more than half of the population has low to moderate incomes.[2]

The city of Los Angeles, in partnership with Cisco and community organizations Destination Crenshaw, the California Community Foundation and Digital Equity LA, launched a pilot program to provide free internet access across major streets, parks and public gathering spots along LA's Crenshaw Corridor.[6] The Crenshaw Community Connectivity Pilot represents a public-private partnership among the city of Los Angeles, Cisco and a number of neighborhood nonprofits.[9] The Bureau partnered with the LA Public Library to provide public outreach and education related to the broadband infrastructure project.[7] This work is made possible through partnerships with community organizations like Destination Crenshaw.[7] Destination Crenshaw and other community partners are working with the Bureau to realize the full potential of this infrastructure as a platform and starting point for more bandwidth, better city services, new economic opportunities, and additional capabilities.[8]

The County of Los Angeles' Internal Services Department and WeLink Communications have partnered to bring affordable and reliable broadband internet to underserved areas in East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles.[5] Through an extensive competitive process, the County selected WeLink as the partner for these first two Community Broadband Networks areas.[5] Construction was expected to begin in Summer 2024, with internet service rolling out beginning in Fall 2024.[5] 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.[5] The City released an RFP to select a service provider to implement the Digital Inclusion & Bridging the Digital Divide program, with the City anticipating executing a contract with the selected provider in Q3 2022.[10]

Benefits and Impacts

The Crenshaw Community Connectivity Pilot offers internet access across the Crenshaw Corridor and benefits residents, businesses and visitors to the Crenshaw, Hyde Park, Park Mesa and Leimert Park neighborhoods.[3][6] The public WiFi network is called 'DestinationCrenshawWifi' and requires no password, though users must agree to terms and conditions when logging on.[8] Three community connectivity pilots were launched that are bringing digital equity to communities in Los Angeles with the greatest need through infrastructure.[7] The Bureau is working to bring community wi-fi to communities in Los Angeles, including Crenshaw and Canoga Park, through fiber construction.[7]

WeLink offers 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.[5] WeLink offers services across 68 square miles, where there are over 275,000 households and small businesses in East Los Angeles/Boyle Heights and South Los Angeles.[5] WeLink offers internet speeds ranging from 500 megabits per second to 2 gigabits per second – up to 20 times faster download speed and up to 100 times faster upload speed than the new Federal Communications Commission broadband benchmark.[5] WeLink offers plans starting at $65 per month to households without qualification requirements, with monthly rates fixed until at least September 2027.[5] Every WeLink plan includes unlimited data, a Wi-Fi router, parental controls, and multilingual customer support without credit checks or cash deposits.[5] The Internal Services Department 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.[5]

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated that the Crenshaw Corridor initiative shows what's possible when the public, private and nonprofit sectors come together with the community to bridge the digital divide.[9] During the January 2025 wildfires, AT&T announced that postpaid and prepaid customers with billing zip codes in affected areas would receive unlimited talk, text and data from January 8 through March 31, 2025.[1] On February 14, AT&T announced an expanded offering of up to three months of internet service for free via credits in upcoming billing cycles for impacted customers who keep their service.[1] T-Mobile enabled Starlink Direct-to-Cellular service over impacted areas of Southern California, providing basic texting including to 911 and delivering wireless emergency alerts.[1]

Climate Adaptation Relevance

Expanded Wi-Fi access supports climate adaptation by enabling vulnerable populations to access critical emergency communications, real-time hazard alerts, and digital resources during climate-related disasters. The infrastructure's capacity to support future smart cities applications, including data-driven traffic management, improved emergency response, and environmental sensing technology, positions it as a foundational platform for climate resilience monitoring and response.[3] The demonstration of emergency connectivity services during the January 2025 wildfires, when telecommunications providers extended unlimited service and emergency texting capabilities to affected areas, illustrates how digital infrastructure serves as essential lifeline infrastructure during climate-driven disasters.[1]

Business Analysis

The implementation leverages multiple funding mechanisms including Community Development Block Grant funds, American Rescue Plan Act funding, and grants from the California Public Utilities Commission's Local Agency Technical Assistance program.[2][7][5] The public-private partnership model brings together municipal agencies, technology providers like Cisco, telecommunications companies, and community organizations to share implementation costs and operational responsibilities.[6][9] WeLink's pricing structure demonstrates a sustainable business model with low-cost plans at $25 monthly for qualified households and standard plans at $65 monthly with rates fixed until at least September 2027, providing predictable revenue streams while maintaining affordability.[5] The County's competitive selection process for broadband partners and the city's RFP approach for service providers indicate structured procurement frameworks designed to ensure cost-effectiveness and service quality.[5][10] The infrastructure investment creates a platform for future revenue-generating smart city applications beyond basic connectivity, including traffic management, public safety enhancements, and environmental monitoring services.[3]

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