First, Cricket Communications brought its pay-as-you-go, no credit check wireless cell phone service to Baltimore, now the company hopes to bridge the digital divide and add affordable broadband service as well with the help of the Feds.
The mobile service provider filed a grant application on Monday for federal Recovery funding in parternship with One Economy Corporation. The proposal would extend Project Change access, a program to bring affordable wireless broadband service to low-income residents in five cities, to an additional 23,000 families in Baltimore, Houston, San Diego and Washington, D.C.
Launched in Portland in 2008, the pilot program created by LCW Wireless, Cricket's parent company, provides the families with sustainable, innovative broadband access and digital literacy training. The project provides subsidized, low-cost wireless broadband over Cricket's high-quality, all-digital 3G wireless network and a wireless device that can be used with desktops and laptops.
"As we have seen in the results of the Portland pilot of Project Change Access, universal broadband is the key to economic revitalization in low-income communities that need growth in businesses and jobs the most," said Dave Maquera, vice president, strategy at Leap. "Cricket remains committed to bringing the benefits of wireless and mobile broadband to everyone, including low-income families who deserve the benefits of digital innovation that online access brings."
Writer: Walaika Haskins
Source: Dave Maquera, LCW