T-Mobile and Western Governors University Work to Keep College Students Connected

T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) has committed to leveling the playing field for students in need. Today, the Un-carrier is taking that commitment a step further by partnering with Western Governors University (WGU), the nation’s largest nonprofit online university, to provide wireless connectivity to help students pursue higher education.

T-Mobile and WGU are providing up to 2,000 WGU students with a free hotspot and wireless connectivity on T-Mobile’s nationwide network through WGU’s Online Access Scholarship, available across the country. COVID-19 shined a light on the digital divide in higher education like never before, and through WGU’s initiative, the university is tackling this challenge to create more equitable access to online higher education opportunities.

“We are proud to team up with Western Governors University to help break down the barriers to access higher education,” said Mike Katz, EVP, T-Mobile for Business. “T-Mobile’s network — America’s largest, fastest, most reliable 5G — and incredible team dedicated to helping higher education institutions is why we can support schools like WGU, so they can do what they do best — teach the workforce of tomorrow.”

A recent Ed Trust-West study found that in California alone, 102,000 college students from lower income households (14%) and 145,000 college students of color (13%) may lack internet access. Also, 109,000 students from lower income households (15%) and 134,000 students of color (12%) may lack access to a device to engage in distance learning. The disparities are more pronounced with rural and urban populations than in suburban areas, where reliable broadband access is more publicly available.

“If there is one way to dramatically democratize access to education, and thus, access to opportunity—it is to ensure that every household in America has access to highspeed internet,” said WGU President Scott Pulsipher. “WGU and T-Mobile share the same vision—to close the digital divide. Our combined efforts with T-Mobile helped double the number of students receiving wireless connectivity allowing many more individuals to change their lives for the better through education.”

Online education has transformed the way students connect to the classroom. Last September, T-Mobile officially launched Project 10Million, an unprecedented $10.7B initiative aimed at delivering internet connectivity to millions of underserved K-12 student households at no cost to them. The program offers free wireless hotspots, free high-speed data and access to laptops and tablets, at-cost. Since the start of the pandemic, T-Mobile has connected more than 2.5 million students across the country with free or highly-subsidized service, including hundreds of thousands of Project 10Million participants.