One of Voqal’s flagship projects, Mobile Citizen, is featured in a recent report issued by the United Nations Broadband Commission for Sustainable Development (formerly known as the United Nations Broadband Commission for Digital Development). The report, titled The State of Broadband 2020: Tackling digital inequalities: A decade for action, “provides an important venue to reflect on progress made in directing broadband internet deployment for social development and economic growth across the world.”
The United Nations Broadband Commission for Digital Development was established in 2010 to promote the adoption of broadband-friendly practices and policies and to ensure that broadband internet technologies accelerate progress towards meeting the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals. This year’s report was the 10th anniversary and lays out ambitious goals to close the digital divide globally.
Mobile Citizen is featured in the report as a positive example of how hotspot programs can be a successful tool for addressing the increased need for internet connectivity posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. An excerpt from the report highlights the impact of Mobile Citizen during this important time.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many Americans to work, learn, and entertain themselves from home. As a result of social distancing, there is significant increased interest in mobile hotspot programmes, which can provide Internet quickly and affordably to families. Mobile Citizen, an EBS (Educational Broadband Service) success story is one such programme.
Championed by a Voqal, a national collaboration of EBS licensees, Mobile Citizen provides low-cost mobile Internet with unlimited data plans exclusively to nonprofit organizations, educational entities, and social welfare agencies. Mobile Citizen’s service is available nationwide.”
Mobile Citizen is honored to be featured in this internationally-renowned report and looks forward to the commission’s continued effort to address connectivity in the coming decade. You can read the full report here. Special thanks to author John Garrity for featuring Mobile Citizen.
Mobile Citizen has seen explosive growth since the pandemic has forced many to work, learn, and entertain themselves from home. If you’re a member of a nonprofit, school, or social welfare agency that could benefit from Mobile Citizen’s affordable mobile internet access, we encourage you to visit mobilecitizen.org.