The FCC Looks Toward the Further Commercialization of the Educational Broadband Service
On the books for the FCC’s May Open Meeting will be a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) regarding rule changes to establish commercial eligibility for Educational Broadband Service (EBS) licenses and to “rationalize” the EBS service areas. EBS is not a well-known radio service, so to appreciate the significance of these changes, a little history […]
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Library helping residents bridge the digital divide
These days, you need internet access for everything, says Maria Meachum, director of the Wilmington Public Library District, which is connecting residents — particularly those in low income households or in areas not serviced by mainstream internet providers — to online services. The district’s 4G LTE internet hotspot loan program has been wildly popular and […]
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Internet access is quietly changing Seattle’s tent cities
When Seattle librarians visited the gated cluster of tents and tiny houses that make up Camp Second Chance in White Center, they brought Star Wars comics, Dean Koontz books and Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild” for homeless campers to check out. But the most popular item wasn’t a book. It was a Wi-Fi hotspot in […]
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Report reveals surprising data about mobile broadband usage in schools
A recent Mobile Beacon report analyzing mobile broadband usage by non-profit organizations, including schools, finds that schools utilizing Mobile Beacon’s 4G LTE internet service indicate that the ability to supplement and/or extend existing school networks is the greatest benefit of the service. The report, “Creating Opportunity Through Connectivity: How Mobile Broadband for Anchor Institutions Impacts Communities,” analyzed […]
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300 free computers and 150 hotspots helping Austinites get online
Hundreds of low income Austinites were connected to the internet at the El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Friday. For some of them, it was the first time having access to computers and internet service. The program, “Bridging the Gap,” was hosted by PC’s for People, Mobile Beacon, El Buen Samaritano, Foundation Communities, The Literacy […]
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Bridging the Gap partners with local organizations to distribute 300 computers and internet access to Austin community
Bridging the Gap, a nonprofit-led initiative of PCs for People and Mobile Beacon that helps community anchor institutions like housing authorities, schools, libraries and nonprofits provide affordable computers and internet service to individuals and families below the 200% poverty level, is hosting a distribution event to provide technology to hundreds of low income families in […]
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Report Reveals Surprising Data About Mobile Broadband Usage in Schools
A recent Mobile Beacon report analyzing mobile broadband usage by non-profit organizations, including schools, finds that schools utilizing Mobile Beacon’s 4G LTE internet service indicate that the ability to supplement and/or extend existing school networks is the greatest benefit of the service. The report, Creating Opportunity Through Connectivity: How Mobile Broadband for Anchor Institutions Impacts Communities, analyzed survey […]
Read more Experimentation is the Watchword as Communities Seek to Close Adoption Gaps
For many low-income Americans, internet connectivity is a struggle. About half (53%) of those in households with annual incomes under $30,000 have a home broadband internet subscription plan, compared with 93% of households whose annual incomes exceed $75,000. This makes closing connectivity gaps a priority for policymakers, the non-profit sector, and many internet service providers […]
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Passionate Entrepreneur Driven to Assist Nonprofits
A Rhode Island innovation story may not get more homegrown than Katherine Messier’s. But the impact of her work resonates with nonprofits in every single state in the union, and beyond. Born and raised in Rhode Island, she is executive director of Mobile Beacon – a company she founded in 2010 that provides broadband service […]
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Mobile Beacon Launches Disaster Recovery Program to Assist Community Anchor Institutions with Rebuilding After Hurricanes
(Johnston, Rhode Island) November 15, 2017 – Mobile Beacon is announcing the launch of a Disaster Recovery Program to help community anchor institutions such as schools, libraries, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations etc. in Texas, Georgia, and Florida who were affected by the recent hurricanes. The Disaster Recovery Program is designed to support affected communities as […]
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