Verizon began working with government agencies and non-profits in 13 US states to make mobile hotspots, smartphones and laptops available to low-income students, a move the operator argued will help schools implement hybrid learning models at a time of renewed Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreaks.
The operator’s public sector division is working with state agencies and non-profit organisations in Alabama; Arkansas; Florida; Kentucky; Louisiana; Mississippi; New Jersey; North Carolina; South Carolina; Tennessee; Virginia; and West Virginia.
In these states, Verizon will make devices available to participants in the National School Lunch Program, Pell Grant recipients and students whose household incomes fall below 135 per cent of federally-defined poverty guidelines.
The operator explained in a statement it is modelling its programmes after digital learning initiatives it implemented in response to the pandemic, which it claimed delivered affordable internet connections and solutions for more than 38 million students in 40 states and the District of Columbia.
Other US operators have created similar programmes aimed at addressing the digital divide.
T-Mobile US provides subsidies of up to $200 per student to school districts identified via the federal Title I programme, which can be used to purchase mobile hotspots compatible with the 600MHz and 700MHz network bands.
The hotspots are meant to be assigned to students for home use, with the school districts typically paying for the data.
AT&T offers discounted wireless solutions to more than 135,000 public and private K-12 schools, colleges and universities, and has pledged to spend $2 billion over the next three years to help close the digital divide.
In addition, the Federal Communications Commission is administering a $3.2 billion broadband subsidy programme called the Emergency Broadband Benefit, which had around 3 million enrolments at end-June.
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