Two decades ago, the Imperial County Office of Education (ICOE) was instrumental in establishing a state-of-the-industry fiber optic communications network in Imperial County.

Thanks to these efforts, Imperial County teachers and students enjoy the educational benefits of having reliable, high-speed internet access at school.

Today, ICOE is tackling another issue and hopes to bridge the “Homework Gap” which refers to the difficulties some socioeconomically disadvantaged students face when working on school assignments without a reliable Internet connection at home.

This important equity issue is being addressed in Imperial County. With BorderLink, the goal of ensuring that every student is connected to the Internet, regardless if at school, home, or elsewhere in the community, is becoming a reality.

During the 2018-19 school year, BorderLink deployed a private education wireless network infrastructure that complements the existing fiber-optic infrastructure that connects our schools and public agencies to each other and the internet.

BorderLink relies on Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology, the same wireless technology that connects mobile phones and devices from all of the major carriers. LTE enables connectivity to mobile devices such as laptops, tablets and smartphones. It allows students to be connected to the internet anytime, anywhere, at high-speeds and with the same protections and policies that schools maintain for students at school.

BorderLink is Imperial County’s response to the increasing needs of our schools and students. We expect to close the Homework Gap and much more, as we focus on improving the quality of life in our community and make Imperial County an ideal place to live, learn, and work.