Mission Telecom, a nonprofit wireless broadband provider and grantmaking foundation dedicated to bridging the digital divide, today released milestones, including expanding access to affordable connectivity and advocating for creating solutions for schools, libraries, and nonprofits threatened by federal funding cuts.
“At Mission Telecom, we’ve seen firsthand how reliable connectivity can transform access to education, healthcare, and opportunity,” said Mark Colwell, Executive Director at Mission Telecom. “As federal support for connectivity continues to decline, we remain committed to expanding access, strengthening partnerships, and ensuring that schools, libraries, and nonprofits have the tools they need to serve their communities and thrive.”
To date, Mission Telecom partnerships have connected more than 20,000 families and positively impacted over 50,000 lives.
Keeping Students & Schools Connected
When the FCC voted last fall to strip hotspot and school bus Wi-Fi from the E-Rate program, it eliminated nearly $58 million in expected reimbursements from districts that had already signed contracts for the current school year. Mission Telecom responded swiftly – growing its network of partners and launching new services to ensure vulnerable communities were not left behind.
Last July, Mission Telecom launched a $7 E-Rate offer, and in direct response to federal funding cuts, introduced an E-Rate-match offer – ensuring schools and libraries could maintain off-campus connectivity. Today, Mission Telecom is offering exclusive school pricing of $5.99/month for 100 GB or $7.99/month for unlimited data.
The organization also recently launched Project: Volume Up, a nationwide initiative to help public libraries launch or expand hotspot lending programs. This follows its announcement of a new 5G mobile connectivity solution – Inseego’s MiFi Pro M4 mobile hotspot for just $179. The reliable, secure mobile router delivers high-speed internet to nonprofits, schools, and libraries.
Connecting Communities & Expanding Opportunities Through Our Libraries
Mission Telecom’s library partnerships have made a tangible difference in communities across the country. At Belen Public Library in New Mexico, where nearly 90,000 rural households lack reliable internet, a survey of Mission Telecom hotspot users found that 88% used their device to learn a new skill, 66% for homework or education, and 32% for telehealth appointments.
“I really commend Mission Telecom for having that vision,” said Kathleen Pickering, Library Director at Belen Public Library. “They’re willing to support institutions like schools and libraries that are some of the last shared resources I feel like we have. Mission Telecom has made the program affordable – otherwise, our library would have had to discontinue hotspot usage.”
In York County, South Carolina, a January partnership expanded the library’s hotspot program to more than 200 devices across five branches, with 4,000 checkouts anticipated this year alone.
“We see a lot of patrons come in and check out the devices,” said Stacy Williams, Marketing Manager at York County Library. “They have expressed gratitude for being able to check these devices out – working from home, checking email, connected to families.”
Bridging the Digital Divide Through Nonprofits & Beyond
Mission Telecom also reached beyond libraries and classrooms through partnerships with nonprofits. In August, Mission Telecom partnered with CACRC to close the digital divide by providing affordable computers to Louisiana families who need them most. In September, Mission Telecom launched the RESPOND Kit – a portable hotspot and broadband solution designed to keep communities connected before, during, and after natural disasters.
Beyond these partnerships, Mission Telecom is delivering critical connectivity to some of the most underserved populations. The organization supports Lutheran Services Carolina’s New Americans Program and its Trafficking Victim Assistance Program with flexible, safe, and high-quality wireless broadband. Mission Telecom‘s applications also extend to telehealth and veterans through the Asheville Medical Research and Education Corporation, which connects veterans to critical healthcare needs in places where fiber or affordable access is not available.
