Sprint and Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Launch Program to Help Provide Internet Access to Students at Home
August 22 2016 - 9:30AM
Business Wire
Just like books, students can check-out one
of 150 wireless devices for hotspots this school year
This school year, Charlotte-area students will be able to check
out a free Wi-Fi hotspot through a new agreement between Sprint
(NYSE:S) and the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. Sprint and the
Charlotte Mecklenburg Library have made a commitment of offering
150 wireless hot spots to students of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
who need to borrow the devices in order to stay connected at home.
The Library will lend students without broadband access at home the
devices for up to 30 days. The value of Sprint’s service for the
pilot project is estimated at $288,000 for the 2016-2017 school
year. For more information about how the pilot project will work,
visit www.cmlibrary.org/oneaccess.
This Smart News Release features multimedia.
View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160822005063/en/
“Children in households without online access are, increasingly,
locked out of learning once school lets out,” notes Lee Keesler,
CEO for Charlotte Mecklenburg Library. “That’s why we’re
enthusiastic about this pilot. Giving CMS students the ability to
borrow a device that will let them access the internet from home
gives them the freedom to learn whenever they are curious. While
this pilot program is limited in scope, it could be a catalyst for
future, larger initiatives so that we can ensure no child or family
is left behind.”
With an estimated 18 percent of households in Charlotte without
internet access in their homes due to costs, it significantly
limits opportunities for children to complete homework assignments,
research next-level learning, and apply for jobs online.
“Children today use the internet and wireless devices to stay
on-track during the school day, but it’s increasingly clear that
far too many of our children simply don’t have the access they also
need at home to give them a competitive advantage and succeed,”
said Michael Miess, president, North Carolina/South Carolina Region
at Sprint. “We’re very excited about the opportunity these Wi-Fi
hotspots will bring to Charlotte Mecklenburg students. It’s time to
close the digital divide and help students reach their highest
educational potential.”
As part of the ConnectED initiative, Sprint joined President
Obama and other leaders in the technology and telecommunications
industry in pledging its in-kind support. For the past two years,
Sprint has worked to provide wireless broadband connectivity for
50,000 low-income K-12 students across the U.S. Sprint’s in-kind
contribution is valued at $100 million.
About Sprint:
Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company that
creates more and better ways to connect its customers to the things
they care about most. Sprint served more than 59.4 million
connections as of June 30, 2016 and is widely recognized for
developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies,
including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in
the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin
Mobile USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national
and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1
Internet backbone. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones
Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America for the past five years.
You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or
www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.
About the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library:
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is one of America’s leading
urban public libraries, serving a community of more than one
million citizens in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Through 20
locations, targeted outreach and online, the Library delivers
exceptional services and programs, with a mission to create a
community of readers and empower individuals with free access to
information and the universe of ideas. For more, visit
cmlibrary.org.
View source
version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160822005063/en/
Media Contacts:SprintRoni Singleton,
404-649-8354Eronia.singleton@sprint.comorCharlotte Mecklenburg
LibrarySarah Goldstein, 704-416-0702sgoldstein@cmlibrary.org
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