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Wichita gets 150 of 200 laptops in Connected Nation and AT&T digital equity rollout; first-in-state IXP planned

City of Wichita Mayor's Briefing · February 6, 2026

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Summary

City and community partners said Connected Nation and AT&T are donating 200 laptops — 150 to Wichita — paired with hands-on digital skills training. Connected Nation also announced an Internet exchange point (IXP) near WSU Tech, with installation expected late spring or early summer.

Wichita officials and community partners announced a coordinated digital equity effort that will place 150 of 200 donated laptops in Wichita and pair them with hands-on training, and said the project is linked to a new Internet exchange point (IXP) sited near the WSU Tech Innovation Campus.

Mayor Wu and partners unveiled the distribution Friday at the Evergreen branch library. "This donation will help further strengthen digital connectivity in our community," Mayor Wu said, adding that the devices and training are intended to help residents apply for jobs, complete schoolwork and access telehealth.

Tanya Witherspoon, founder and CEO of Mindscapes, described Connected Nation's role. "Part of what Connected Nation does is build this curriculum, they do train the trainers," Witherspoon said, noting materials will be translated into Spanish and adapted as needed. She said Connected Nation is coordinating with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Kansas Office of Broadband.

Tom Furry, chairman and CEO of Connected Nation, said the organization selected Wichita from about 125 candidate sites and described the IXP as a regional infrastructure investment. "It's inside that building that begins to really make this a game changer for Kansas, Wichita, and the larger region," Furry said, adding that the facility was fabricated off-site and is expected to be installed in late spring or early summer.

Local partners named at the event include the Kansas Hispanic Education and Development Foundation, Empower, Build and Rebuild, Thrive Allen County, Wichita State University, WSU Tech, the Wichita Public Schools Future Ready Center for IT and logistics partner CopyDont. The foundation's executive director emphasized that the program pairs devices with training rather than handing out hardware alone.

Demand for the training portion was evident: Ariel Rodriguez, executive director of Empower, said the group's application for 50 training spots filled within 24 hours and the organization compiled a wait list of nearly 100 people. "Within 24 hours, all the spots were filled," Rodriguez said, adding the wait list shows continuing local demand for digital skills training.

Officials said 150 laptops will be available in Wichita and the broader rollout includes multi-day training events beginning the week of distribution. The city's next steps include local training sessions at WSU Tech South and continued coordination among partners to match devices with recipients and curriculum.