ACCESS. % NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT SHOWS US
A FAMILY GOING TO GREAT LENGTHS
TO STAY ONLINE. %
>> Reporter: EACH MORNING THEY %
PARK THEIR VAN WITHIN RANGE OF %
FREE WiFi. %
IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO GET HER %
KIDS CONNECTED TO THE SCHOOLS. %
>> Reporter: THIS IS YOUR DAY? %
HOW YOU GET CONNECTED? %
>> WE SIT AROUND AND DO %
HOMEWORK. %
HOMEWORK. % >> Reporter: HER DAUGHTER HAS
MORE THAN THE USUAL AMOUNT OF %
SCHOOL WORK TO DO. %
>> HAD I AM THE CLASS %
PRESIDENT. %
PRESIDENT. % >> Reporter: HOW DOES THE CLASS
PRESIDENT DO HER JOB REMOTELY? %
>> HAD I HELP AS MANY AS I CAN.
>> Reporter: SO YOU ARE NOT %
JUST WORRIED ABOUT YOUR SCHOOL
WORK, YOU HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
YOUR CLASS? %
>> YEP. %
>> YEP. % >> HAD TODAY I USE THE NETWORK %
TO READ MUSIC. %
>> Reporter: UNTIL NOW SHE %
WORKED FOR THE SOUTH BEND %
SCHOOL DISTRICT. %
SHE HAS PAY AS YOU GO INTERNET %
AT HOME BUT WITH ALL THE DATA
THEY NEED SHE CAN’T AFFORD IT. %
THE KIDS ARE GETTING ONLINE %
BECAUSE OF THESE BUSSES. %
THEY HAVE WiFi FOR THE RIDE TO %
SCHOOL BUT NOW SCHOOL DISTRICTS
ARE PARKING THEM IN THE OPEN. %
>> THERE ARE 10,000 BUSES THAT
HAVE OUR WIRELESS ROUTERS. %
WE KEEP HEARING STORIES OF %
SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT HAVE %
RECOGNIZED THEY CAN SERVE THEIR
STUDENTS IN NEW AND IMPORTANT %
WAYS. %
WAYS. % >> Reporter: THE INTERNET IS
EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW AND THOSE
WHO CAN’T AFFORD IT ARE BARELY
FUNCTIONING. %
FUNCTIONING. % SHE STUDIES THE EFFECT OF %
HAVING NO INTERNET. %
>> PEOPLE TELL ME WITHOUT A %
PHONE I CAN’T GET A JOB BECAUSE
MY PHONE IS THE ONLY ENTRY WAY %
FOR A POSITION OR TO APPLY FOR A
POSITION. %
POSITION. % >> Reporter: EVEN TEACHERS %
DON’T HAVE THE INTERNET THEY
NEED. %
NEED. % >> EDUCATORS HAVE TO DRIVE FROM
THEIR HOUSE TO PARKING LOTS AT %
A GAS STATION OR STARBUCKS %
WHERE THEY SIT IN THEIR CAR FOR
EIGHT HOURS WHILE THEY PROVIDE
INSTRUCTION FOR THE KIDS. %
>> Reporter: EVEN IN CITY WHERE
IT IS AVAILABLE, THE NUMBER OF
PEOPLE WHO CAN’T AFFORD IT IS
SHOCKING. %
SHOCKING. % >> IN THE UNITED STATES, %
ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS, 18
MILLION HOUSEHOLDS IN THE U.S. %
THAT DO NOT HAVE BROADBAND AT %
HOME. %
HOME. % EVEN MOBILE SERVICE. %
14MILLION OF THE 18 MILLION ARE
IN URBAN AREAS. %
>> Reporter: IN CHICAGO, WITH
LACK OF INTERNET CORRELATES
WITH HIGHER CORONAVIRUS DEATHS.
THE NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE
HIGHEST COVID-19 DEATHS IN
MARCH AND APRIL, REPORTED THE
LOWEST RATE OF PAID INTERNET %
SUBSCRIPTIONS. %
SUBSCRIPTIONS. % WITHOUT THE INTERNET, PEOPLE
HAVE TO GO OUT TO TO PAY THEIR
BILLSS BUY GROCERY STORES. %
PUTTING THEM AT GREATER RISK. %
DO YOU THINK THERE IS OVERLAP
BETWEEN NOT HAVING BROADBAND %
AND HAVING GREATER VULNERABLE
TO CORONAVIRUS? %
>> I THINK THE CLEAR OVERLAP IS
POVERTY. %
POVERTY. % WE KNOW THAT IN POORER %
NEIGHBORHOODS THERE ARE FEWER %
INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE ACCESS TO
THE BROADBAND IN THEIR HOMES. %
>> Reporter: THE CORONAVIRUS %
TORN THE BANDAGE OFF ANOTHER %
PAINFUL PROBLEM IN AMERICA. %
>> THESE ARE NOT NEW. %
IT IS ANYTHING. %
>> Reporter: SHE SAYS THESE %
BUSES CREATED A STRANGE SORT OF
RHYTHM TO THEIR LIFE. %
>> THEY ALSO HAVE A FREE LUNCH
AND SO WE TAKE THAT UP TOO. %
AND IF WE ARE HAVING A BAD %