Oct. 15, 2015
One of Voqal’s projects, Mobile Citizen, is in trouble. Mobile Citizen, along with a similar project named Mobile Beacon, relies on a partnership with Sprint to provide unlimited broadband service to 429 schools, 61 libraries and 1,820 nonprofit organizations across the country.
Sprint is shutting down the WiMax Network on Nov. 6 (that’s in 22 days!) and will disconnect large numbers of our customers. Many of them are not in a position to obtain Internet service otherwise. That is why yesterday, Voqal filed a lawsuit to stop Sprint from turning off the broadband service for the under-resourced communities we serve. Each day until a resolution is agreed upon we will feature the story of one of Mobile Citzen’s customers. Today: White Bear Lake Area Schools.
White Bear Lake Area Schools is a Minnesota school district with over 8,000 students. Mark Garrison, director of technology & innovation, states that while 95% of the student base has Internet access at home, Mobile Citizen allows the school to level the playing field for the 5% of families without Internet access. Garrison says it is not about handing out free equipment or services, it’s about enabling all families and that requires they have same tools and resources.
Think all White Bear Lake students deserve access to the Internet? Sign and share the petition at http://bit.ly/sprintstoptheshutdown.
You can read more from White Bear Lake here.