By Teoni Cummings
WEST COLUMBIA
On Thursday, June 5th, at 11Am, AT&T opened a brandnew Connected Learning Center in the Brookland-Lakeview Empowerment Center located in West Columbia providing free access to digital resources, including high-speed AT&T fiber internet, Wi-Fi, and Dell computers.
In South Carolina, many households do not have access to internet or connected devices needed to fully participate in the online world. This issue is known as the digital divide. The Connected Learning Center was open to youth families and residents in Richland County, Lexington County and neighboring communities throughout the Midlands. As a part of this effort, AT&T distributed 250 free laptops to local students and families. Community leaders and volunteers were also on-site for the celebration.
This is the first Connected Learning Center in South Carolina. It will provide free education national resources and mentoring. The company plans to offer at least 100 Connected Learning Centers by the end of 2027. This effort is a part of AT&T’s initiative to help address the digital divide through internet accessibility, affordability, and safe adoption. AT&T is committing $5 billion to help 25 million people get and stay connected to highspeed internet by 2030.