By Bob Katzen

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) at MassTech announced the launch of the Residential Internet Retrofit Program, a $22 million statewide program that will be used to equip public and affordable housing units across the state with high-speed internet.

“A substantial portion of public housing buildings are more than 50 years old,” said MBI Director Michael Baldino. “Low-income families in these buildings face barriers to accessing the speeds offered by broadband service if the wiring in their apartment pre-dates the internet age. The Retrofit Program will lead the charge to engage with property managers and then to engage internet service providers, who will work together to build out cutting-edge infrastructure that fully connects public and affordable housing units to high-speed internet.”