Local telecom company Andrena partners with the city's Newark Fiber program, trains residents to install cables across Newark's five wards
NEWARK, N.J., April 4, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- More than 1,600 Newark families living in public housing will have affordable high-speed internet access, thanks to the city's new partnership between Newark Fiber and telecom provider Andrena. Today, Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka announced the expansion of low-cost residential internet service into 14 Newark Housing Authority (NHA) buildings.
"The launch of 'Connect Newark: Andrena - A Newark Fiber Collaboration,' will be a game changer for thousands of people living in our city," shared Mayor Ras J. Baraka. "High-speed internet will enable Newarkers to take well-paid jobs from home, plus access online education and telehealth appointments. In today's digital age, it is vital that we afford equal opportunities for Newark residents to thrive."
Each family will be able to purchase lightning-speed internet service for just $20 per month, a fraction of the average market rate of $75 per month or more, saving families nearly $700 a year. Since the first building installation earlier this year, over 150 units have adopted Andrena's new service – and many more are expected to follow. The service will allow residents to connect to remote learning, video calls, streaming services, online banking and more. Residents will also have access to free Wi-Fi in common areas within and around the public housing buildings.
"We are honored to have been selected by Newark Fiber to deliver low-cost internet service to the city, making connectivity more accessible, affordable and usable than ever before," Neil Chatterjee, co-founder and CEO of Andrena shared.
Newly connected affordable housing developments are located across Newark's five wards: 963 and 991 Frelinghuysen Avenue; 100 and 122 Ludlow Street; 801, 789 and 815 North 6th Street; 880, 900 and 920 Franklin Avenue; 31 and 35 Van Vechten Street; 516 Bergen Street, and 214 South Street.
"Our goal is to offer connectivity options to Newark residents that previously could only access or afford the internet at home through their phone's data plan, if at all," said Aaron Meyerson, Chief Innovation Economy Officer and Director of Broadband at Invest Newark and Newark Alliance. "We've also identified ways for Newark residents to learn job skills. This was made possible by Newark's unique municipal fiber network, Newark Fiber, which provides the internet for Andrena to serve residential customers. This full alignment of real estate, connectivity, workforce training and affordable internet is how the city of Newark is leading the way forward."
Newark has a digital divide caused by the lack of access and adoption of broadband. According to 2022 U.S. Census numbers, nearly one in five Newark households do not have an internet subscription at home. Additionally, 9 percent of Newark families lack a computer. Collaborating with partners, the city aims to provide sustainable, high-speed options to residents.
Andrena worked with local telecom companies, including Black-owned and Newark-based TeknoGRID, and Brooklyn-based BlocPower, to train local residents to install the service. TeknoGrid trained and hired three Newarkers to perform onsite installations, and BlocPower trained eight formerly incarcerated residents on broadband deployment.
"On-the-job training is a critical skill-building component of our program, which can only happen if we're hired for telecom projects," said Marland Jenkins, Founder and CEO of TeknoGRID. "We are grateful to companies like Andrena who provide these types of opportunities for our trainees!"
"We are proud to be a part of this transformative collaboration that aligns perfectly with our commitment to fostering vibrant, connected communities," said Leonard J. Spicer, Executive Director, Newark Housing Authority. "This initiative opens doors to new opportunities, educational resources and economic growth for our residents."
ABOUT NEWARK FIBER
Newark Fiber is a public-private partnership that offers Gigabit internet connections to over 70 buildings including city and commercial buildings, in addition to parks and commercial corridors. Newark Fiber continues to accept applications for properties that are interested in offering connectivity as a service. Property owners and users that interested in adopting Newark Fiber can submit an inquiry https://newarkfiber.org/contact.
ABOUT ANDRENA
Andrena is a premier wireless Internet Service Provider for Residential MDUs. They work with building owners, developers, and property managers to deliver next-generation wireless internet to residents and for property operations. By working with a diverse group of leading real estate partners they currently reach over 30,000 households across the mid-Atlantic region, Florida, Texas, and Tennessee. Notable partnerships include Invest Newark, Newark Housing Authority, New York City Housing Authority, and Jersey City Housing Authority. To learn more about real estate partnerships or to see if Andrena high-speed internet is available to you, visit http://www.andrena.com.
Media Contact
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SOURCE Newark Fiber
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