How Shreveport, Louisiana, used blockchain technology to build a low-cost public WiFi network
Nov. 29, 2022
When Shreveport, Louisiana, hired Keith Hanson as its chief technology officer and smart cities director in 2019, the city’s mayor asked him to address the digital divide and create a smarter city. Both efforts would require expanding broadband internet, making it one of Hanson’s earliest priorities.
Once he took the helm of Shreveport’s IT department, Hanson said he tried to understand the city’s digital infrastructure and internet access. He was initially stumped by the city’s digital divide: There was broadband infrastructure near almost every home, but many people seemingly lacked internet access.
