LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa.- Telecommunications company Astound is announcing $300,000 in technology upgrades that will benefit six non-profits in the Lehigh Valley.
The investment aims to bridge the digital divide and expand access to literacy resources, STEAM education, and job-readiness tools for thousands of residents, the company said in a news release.
The places that will receive the upgrades are:
Allentown Public LibraryBethlehem Area Public Library – Main & South BranchesMemorial Library of Nazareth & VicinityBoys & Girls Club of AllentownBoys & Girls Club of BethlehemBoys & Girls Club of Easton
“We are grateful that Astound recognizes the vital role that libraries play in providing technology and learning materials to their communities,” said Renee Haines, Director of the Allentown Public Library, in the release. “This expansion to our current resources will help us meet the evolving needs of our community and ensure all users have the opportunity to access 21st-Century tools and programs.”
Astound said details on specific upgrades will be announced at a later time and will happen throughout 2026.
The initiative is meant to complement an ongoing, $81 million network enhancement announced last year, the company said.
Last July, Astound said it would accelerate an upgrade and expansion of its fiber network infrastructure throughout key areas of Pennsylvania, with 315,000 homes and 25,000 businesses connected to the network by the end of 2026.
Astound, based in Princeton, New Jersey, is a provider of internet, Wi-Fi, mobile, TV services, landline phone and fiber-optic solutions. Formerly known as Astound Broadband, the company was born in 2022 with the merging of five regional TV and internet companies, including RCN.