Skip to main content

Sprint’s 1 Million Project brings connected devices to high school students

The internet is a necessity for many students, and Sprint has a plan to make it more accessible. The network, along with the Sprint Foundation, is launching the “1 Million Project,” which loans smartphones, tablets, and laptops to students in low-income families together with four years of connectivity to get them through high school.

Seven in 10 teachers assign homework that requires an internet connection, according to Jessica Rosenworcel, a member of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission. According to the Pew Research Center, 5 million families with school-age children in the U.S. don’t have access to high-speed internet.

Recommended Videos

To kick-start an initiative to fix this “Homework Gap,” Sprint is working with non-profits like EveryoneOn and My Brother’s Keeper Alliance to  partner with local community organizations, such as schools, libraries, and other local non-profits. Phones, laptops, hot spot devices, and tablets will be distributed to a million high school students, and Sprint and the Sprint Foundation will work with partners to decide the “best device solution.”

sprint
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The devices will come with 3GB of LTE data per month, and will revert to unlimited data on 2G network speeds if a student uses up all their data. Students with a smartphone will be able to use it as a hot spot, and will be able to make unlimited domestic calls and texts. These devices will stay connected for students throughout the four-year span of high school.

But 1 million students aren’t going to get devices right away, as the plan is slated to extend from 2017 through 2025. It will begin as a pilot program in January 2017 in seven to 10 cities, and will roll out nationally when the 2017 to 2018 school year begins. Sprint is hoping to connect up to 200,000 students per year for the next five years.

Sprint isn’t the only company looking to bring connectivity to low-income families. Facebook is reportedly in talks with the White House to bring its Free Basics program into the U.S. The program is controversial as it allows for certain websites to not count toward data usage — India banned it after its communications watchdog concluded it violated net neutrality principles.

The White House’s ConnectEd initiative is also looking to bring “next-generation broadband” to 99 percent of students by 2018.

Julian Chokkattu
Former Mobile and Wearables Editor
Julian is the mobile and wearables editor at Digital Trends, covering smartphones, fitness trackers, smartwatches, and more…
OnePlus Nord 5 shows Samsung how to make the perfect Galaxy S25 FE
Rwar shell of the the OnePlus Nord 5.

About three weeks ago, a rather interesting phone landed at my doorstep. It was OnePlus’ latest budget pleaser, which neither falls in the “mid-tier” segment, nor sniffs too close to the flagship summit. Yet, the value it offers at an MSRP of around $400 redefines the whole concept of the class that we often refer to as “budget flagships.” 

The Samsung Galaxy Fan Edition phones are the quintessential definition of this honor, at least for the competition-starved US market. After using the OnePlus Nord 5, I’ve come to the realization that this is what a true Fan Edition phone should look like. One that delivers where it matters, without a confoundingly high price tag slapped on the box. I believe it's a recipe for Samsung to emulate for its next Fan Edition phone.

Read more
I’m excited for the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, but it could let us down in one area
Google's tipped to deny its most expensive phone a top spec
Someone holding the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold, showing the back of the phone.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold looks set to gain a number of significant upgrades over its predecessor including a larger display, smaller hinge, bigger battery, and improved dust resistance.

The Google Pixel 10 series is tipped to arrive in the coming months - possibly as soon as August - and we're expecting to see a quartet of new devices, including the Pixel 10 Pro Fold.

Read more
OnePlus 13 owners get a major new AI tool for free
Plus Mind is just the beginning of OnePlus' AI ecosystem
A person holding the OnePlus 13.

Owners of the OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R smartphones are receiving a software update which includes a significant new AI feature.

OnePlus has started to roll out its Plus Mind AI tool to 13 and 13R handsets around the world, giving users the ability to receive intelligently suggesting actions while also storing the information for you to search through at a later date.

Read more