MISSOULA — Announced in the Missoula City daily press release on Friday, Mountain Line will be partnering with First Presbyterian Church to create a drive-in community Wi-Fi hotspot.
The transportation agency will be parking one of its Wi-Fi-equipped electric buses in the church parking lot starting Monday, April 27th, to provide free internet access to all those who need it Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., for the foreseeable future.
The drive-in hot spot will be located at 235 S. 5th St. W.
With many businesses and schools now operating online, reliable internet access has become more important than ever.
Those who previously depended on libraries, schools and cafes for free Wi-Fi have found it increasingly difficult to stay connected during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Mountain Line Wi-Fi site is currently set up for drive-in traffic only and users will need to provide their own devices to access the internet.
For the health and safety of all users and the First Presbyterian Church volunteers, everyone must stay in their vehicles for the duration of their time on-site.
All questions about drive-in logistics should be directed to First Presbyterian Church at 406-549-5144.
For those without a vehicle or their own device, the Salvation Army is offering a technology hub with available laptops and iPads for three users at a time for up to 30 minutes.
The walk-in technology hub is open Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
All users at the Salvation Army’s site are asked to wear gloves, masks or other cloth covering their nose and mouth, and to practice physical distancing. The Salvation Army is also looking for volunteers to help run its technology hub.
If you are interested in volunteering or have questions about the walk-in site, please contact Katie Galang at 406-285-1795.
