The City of South Bend’s free, public wi-fi was activated on Thursday, May 5th.

The wi-fi service is available from more than 30 access points in the downtown area, according to South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg.

“SBOurGuest” is the name to identify and access South Bend’s free internet service.

“Closing the digital divide and providing free public wi-fi in South Bend is essential,” Buttigieg said. “Internet access is not a luxury, but a necessity, for education and economic opportunity. Our goal is to strengthen and expand our public network to reach more families and businesses to create an even more connected community.”

Metronet Zing is providing the connectivity to deliver internet in public areas. Wi-fi was also connected using resources from the St. Joseph County Public Library for residents at Monroe Circle, a neighborhood on the city’s near west side, according to a City of South Bend news release.

In 2015, the Library was awarded a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, administered by the Indiana State Library, to launch the program, the news release stated.

Plans are in progress to increase public wi-fi access points to drive economic development and extend municipal wi-fi to underserved areas, the news release stated.