AllentownSchool District

T-Mobile’s Project 10Million to Help Target Digital Divide within Allentown School District

T-Mobile’s Project 10Million to Help Target Digital Divide within Allentown School District
Posted on 01/14/2021

ALLENTOWN, PA — In another step towards closing the digital divide, T-Mobile’s Project 10Million will allow the Allentown School District to connect more students with free mobile hotspots and low-cost unlimited internet access. 

Developing a districtwide, one-to-one device model has been a key focus of the ASD prior to COVID-19, and the necessity of reliable high-speed internet is more important as students are learning through Virtual Campus. The nationwide Project 10Million initiative provides school districts, like ASD, with free high-speed internet and wireless hotspots for students who do not have reliable access to these resources. ASD elected to apply the value of the program – approximately $500 a year per household – to an option giving students access to unlimited data.

Looking beyond COVID-19, this program will help the ASD to provide anytime/anywhere learning and allow students  to complete coursework that is technology based. Through Project 10Million, an additional 2,500 households will receive free T-Mobile hotspots and access to free unlimited data. This program not only improves household access to the internet, but it also increases the district’s Wi-Fi hotspot inventory to approximately 7,000 units.

“I am excited to partner with T-Mobile on this initiative. High-speed internet access is an essential resource required to educate students not only during a global pandemic, but beyond as we advance innovation with ASD. Additionally, the partnership between ASD & T-Mobile supports the development of personalized learning opportunities for all students K-12,” said Thomas Parker, ASD Superintendent. “Project 10Million is helping the district advance equity by providing critical technology resources and support to our students and families.”

“T-Mobile is so proud to work with ASD and bring Project 10Million to 2,500 student households in Allentown,” said Dr. Kiesha Taylor, National Education Administrator for T-Mobile. “While COVID-19 has brought the issue of the digital divide and its impact on our students to the forefront, we know that this problem is not new and it will not go away when the pandemic ends. That’s exactly why T-Mobile will continue to work in concert with school districts across the country to provide the solutions that students need to learn, grow and access opportunity.”

The cost of the internet service for Allentown students will be covered through the federal 2020-21 Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) School Health & Safety Grant

To learn more about Project 10Million, visit http://www.t-mobile.com/p10m

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