Case Study: Hidalgo County achieves free public Wi‑Fi access for 30,000+ rural students and workers with Insight

Hidalgo County Brings Free Public Wi-Fi to More Than 30,000 Rural, Low-Income Students and Workers

Hidalgo County, a large and economically challenged county in south Texas, needed a way to narrow the digital divide during the COVID-19 pandemic as students and remote workers struggled with limited or no internet access. Insight, working through its Cloud + Data Center Transformation services, was brought in to help design and deliver a communitywide connectivity solution.

Insight implemented a phased free public Wi‑Fi network across several precincts, including planning, design, electrical remediation, tower construction, RF analysis, and deployment of a multivendor wireless mesh network using Cisco, Palo Alto Networks, and Ruckus. The project now provides free internet access to more than 30,000 students and teleworkers, leverages existing infrastructure to reduce cost, and includes three years of ongoing monitoring, optimization, and support from Insight to keep the network secure and reliable.

Hidalgo County