🚀 DigitalC Expands to Detroit, Delivering High-Speed Home Internet for 450 Families

We are thrilled to announce the official launch of Canopy, Powered by Connect 313 in Detroit!

With support from the Rocket Community Fund, Microsoft Airband, Detroit Housing Commission, City of Detroit, Merit Network, and Wayne State University—DigitalC is delivering next-generation internet access to 450 public housing households across Forest Park, Brewster Homes, and Diggs Homes.

✅ Free home internet for three years

✅ Speeds up to 500 Mbps download / 100 Mbps upload

✅ No monthly bills, no fees, no credit checks

This program removes financial and structural barriers to connectivity—so residents can stream, learn, work, and thrive online without compromise.

At a conservative estimate of $75/month for comparable speeds, that’s more than $1.2 million worth of internet access—fully funded through Rocket Community Fund with support from Microsoft. The program kicked off today with a launch event at Brewster Homes, where partners joined residents and staff to distribute Canopy welcome boxes and explain in-home installations.

This pilot is informed by the Cleveland Model and leverages a combination of fiber-optic backbone infrastructure and advanced fixed wireless technology to deliver superior high-speed home internet. Merit Network, through founding member Wayne State University, provides the 10 Gbps fiber connection. DigitalC then deploys rooftop antennas and enterprise-grade equipment to extend that connectivity directly into residential units—achieving speeds up to 500 Mbps download / 100 Mbps upload.

The system was field-tested across all three Detroit Housing Commission communities to ensure strong signal coverage, fast speeds, and stable performance. This hybrid model ensures that residents receive service that rivals or exceeds that of traditional providers.

This is DigitalC’s first market expansion outside Cleveland, and it sets the tone for what’s possible for the Cleveland Model of connectivity, scaling a bold, community-rooted approach to digital equity—city by city.

Connectivity at Scale: The Numbers Behind the Launch

450	500	1st
Detroit public housing households now connected through Canopy, Powered by Connect313 thanks to a poweerful coalition of partners.	500/100 Mbps Enterprise-grade internet speeds—supporting virtual learning, telehealth, remote work, and daily life.	DigitalC’s expansion city, bringing Canopy beyond Cleveland for the very first time, expanding the Cleveland Model and connectivity movement.