Wi-Fi signal in Long Creek and Mountain Rest

The Oconee FOCUS broadband project and the Oconee Public Library recently collaborated to bring Wi-Fi to the community clubs in Long Creek and Mountain Rest. With the infrastructure in place at the communities’ fire stations, the Wi-Fi signal for accessing the Internet was extended to the adjoining community clubs. And Phil Cheney, county library director, says it means that residents there can bring their hand-held devices to the locations, sit in their cars, and use Wi-Fi to reach the Internet. A password is not needed but, under the requirements of the Children’s Internet Protection Act, access is filtered to prevent access to pornography or harmful content. Six years ago, the county was awarded a federal grant to build a fiber optic communications network to help meet the demand for bandwith.