T-Mobile announced it started offering free internet connectivity to underserved student households across the United States under the $10.7 bn initiative called Project 10Million.
The program offers free wireless hotspots, free high-speed data and access to laptops and tablets, at-cost.
The main target of the project is more than 9 million of America’s 56 million school-age kids, who did not have access to internet, even before the pandemic. 50 million students are learning remotely because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Project 10Million offers free wireless hotspots, up to 100GB per year of free high-speed data, and access to at-cost tablets and laptops, or the equivalent value of approximately $500 annually per student household.
T-Mobile has expanded Project 10Million by allowing participating school districts to apply the value of the free program to one of two new plans with more data. Schools can choose a 100GB per month option or a fully unlimited plan. Every district gets free wireless hotspots and access to at-cost laptops and tablets.
School districts can sign up at www.t-mobile.com/p10m
“T-Mobile has a big goal – to deliver connectivity to every child who needs it across the U.S. Starting now with our historic Project 10Million commitment, we’re going to help open A LOT of doors to opportunity that might have previously been closed,” said T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert.
Prior to merging in April 2020 and before the Covid-19 pandemic, T-Mobile and Sprint had already connected nearly half a million students.
Since March 2020, T-Mobile has connected over 1.6 million students in more than 3,100 school districts across the country. This includes the company’s part in New York City’s plan to connect more than 350,000 students with iPads and data when classes resume virtually.
T-Mobile has partnered with the California Department of Education and Apple to connect up to another 1 million students.
“T-Mobile and Sprint have worked with school districts, state governments and technology partners to bring connectivity solutions to those who need it most, connecting more than 1.6 million students in less than six months,” said Mike Katz, executive vice president of T-Mobile for Business.