High-speed Internet, Wireless Option Coming to Meetinghouses Worldwide
Article Highlights
- The Church is making a worldwide effort to make high-speed Internet available in 85 percent of meetinghouses.
- While Internet costs have previously come from the local meetinghouse budget, the Meetinghouse Facilities Department will now cover these costs.
“Local leaders who have had the Internet in their buildings believe it has been a blessing in the lives of leaders and members. The Church wants to make those benefits and blessings available to more members.” —Derek Hays, product manger, meetinghouse technology, Information and Communication Systems Department
The Church is aiming to make high-speed Internet, with optional wireless access, available to 85 percent of meetinghouses around the world by the end of 2011.
Since 2008, 50 percent of meetinghouses worldwide have installed an Internet connection. The Church aims to increase that number because of the benefits high-speed Internet access can provide to leaders, teachers, family history researchers, and others.
“Local leaders who have had the Internet in their buildings believe it has been a blessing in the lives of leaders and members. The Church wants to make those benefits and blessings available to more members,” said Derek Hays, product manager over meetinghouse technology in the Church’s Information and Communication Systems (ICS) Department.
In previous years, local Church units paid for Internet service out of their local operating budgets, and because of the expense, some units chose not to install it at all. Now, to help facilitate the 85 percent goal, the Meetinghouse Facilities Department (MFD) will be responsible for Internet costs.
With access to high-speed Internet, teachers will be able to use online Church-produced media to supplement their lessons. Members will also be able to access the Church’s employment site and participate in family history work from their meetinghouses.
Church leaders will be able to use web-based tools to manage membership and financial records, submit applications for missionary service, and participate in leadership training broadcasts.
In coordination with this effort, in 2012 members and leaders worldwide will be able to connect to their meetinghouse Internet via their LDS Account using personal laptops or Church-owned computers.
For more information on the availability of the Internet at local meetinghouses, visit mhtech.ChurchofJesusChrist.org (available in five languages).
