It was instant relief for Cleopatra Manderson when high-speed in-home Wi-Fi was switched on for the first time at her house in the quiet farming community of Leith Hall in St Thomas, recently.

The businesswoman and mother of three was a picture of pure delight knowing that her children would finally be able to enjoy a more reliable and affordable way to connect to their online classrooms.

“It has been a real life-changer for me,” said Manderson while her teenage daughter and her nine and seven-year-old children simultaneously logged on to their online classes.

“The LTE Home service is more consistent and economical. My kids will no longer end up missing classes because I’ve run out of data or as a result of poor connection. This is one stress that’s been taken off me since COVID-19,” added Manderson.

But the businesswoman, who operates a small retail store and a pineapple farm, has a new concern, how to activate parental control in order to regulate her children’s online activities.

“I want to know that they’re doing only what they’re supposed to do while online,” declared Manderson.

Digicel said it has committed to providing Manderson with tips on how to set up parental controls.

According to general manager of Digicel+ Delroy Anderson, helping customers to regulate their use of the Internet is just as important as providing access to the service.

“Never before has access to the Internet been so important to rural Jamaica,” said Anderson.

“Broadband service provides a critical connection for rural households to access education, government services, and, most importantly, one another,” added Anderson.

Further down the road in the gently sloping community, farmer and part-time mason Gary Henry took a break from tilling the soil to configure his new LTE Home broadband service.

Having followed the recommendations of a church sister to get the service, Henry is already looking into using it to advertise and sell his fresh produce online.

“I raise chickens, plant bananas, plantains, okra and cassava. Having Internet at home will help to get more customers who will be able to see what I have and come and buy.”

Commenting on customers’ feedback, Anderson concluded, “These kinds of impact reinforce our commitment to expanding access to e-connectivity, by enabling more persons in rural Jamaica to participate in the modern, digital economy. Our fixed wireless broadband solution is truly a lifeline to quality of life and economic opportunity, and we’re fully focused on delivering the service to more Jamaicans.”