As the days grow shorter and the school year gets underway, we’ve been sharing special summer events with our neighbors in East Tennessee.
Recently, we connected with community leaders and local organizations to highlight efforts to close the digital divide, provide connections, and enhance digital literacy.
As part of our tour, we announced new fiber expansions, distributed laptops to students and families, and highlighted how we are helping keep our communities safe through FirstNet®, Built with AT&T. It was a great opportunity to get together with students, families, and neighbors in Cleveland, Knoxville, and Newport to celebrate our investments in local communities.
We kicked off in Cleveland with a fiber availability announcement at Deer Park Pavilion. Our teams have invested heavily in Cleveland and Bradley County, and AT&T Fiber® is broadly available in the community.
“Broadband expansion isn’t just connectivity; it’s an investment in our community’s future,” said Bradley County Mayor D. Gary Davis. “And in Bradley County, expanded fiber networks help close the digital divide and pave the way for progress.”
Later, we traveled to Knoxville to distribute 75 laptops at the Knoxville Area Urban League and 100 laptops at the Wesley House Community Center. The 175 laptops were provided to Knoxville families and their students just in time for them to start the new school year.
“As we embrace the digital age, it’s imperative that we also embrace digital equity,” said Knoxville Area Urban League Board Chair and University of Tennessee Vice Chancellor for Access and Engagement Tyvi Small. “Distributing devices to our families is a critical step towards ensuring that students and adults have the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.”
Next, AT&T Tennessee President Jim Jamison visited FirstNet®, Built with AT&T users in downtown Newport to discuss the importance of this nationwide communications network for first responders and those who support them. The Cocke County Sheriff’s Office adopted FirstNet for their communications to help provide better services and public safety. So far, we’ve connected public safety agencies and organizations in more than 240 cities in Tennessee and rolled out Band 14 on more than 1,400 sites across the state.
“Our team has always worked to ensure the most effective tools are available to our officers, and the capabilities and technologies available through FirstNet have enhanced our ability to keep the residents of Cocke County safe,” said Cocke County Sheriff CJ Ball.
Whether a Connectivity Week or a Connectivity Day, each event brings exciting new opportunities and resources to communities. We’re proud to make another successful tour of the communities we serve, this time here in Tennessee.
Moments like this remind us why we do what we do – by distributing laptops, opening new learning centers, or expanding fiber to new communities, we’re furthering our national commitment to help bridge the digital divide.
We’re proud of all the new fiber and digital resources we’re making available in the state. And we’re excited to continue working to deliver more connectivity to Tennesseans.
