Sprint plans on shutting down an outdated cellular network next week. But two nonprofits are fighting Sprint in court, saying that the shutdown will cut off Internet access to low-income individuals, the elderly, and the disabled.
“The nonprofits, Mobile Beacon and Mobile Citizen, use Sprint’s old “WiMAX” network to provide high speed wireless Internet to schools and other organizations that help the needy. Sprint’s WiMAX rates are so low that the two groups charge as little as $10 per month for unlimited access. But Sprint plans to decommission WiMAX on November 6.
WiMAX technology was developed by a company called Clearwire, which sold cheap Internet access via mobile hotspots. The network has been rendered obsolete by 4G-LTE.
Sprint bought Clearwire in 2013 and has planned to shut down the WiMAX network for more than a year.
Mobile Beacon and Mobile Citizen claim that more than 300,000 under-served people will lose their only access point to the Internet as a result of the WiMAX shutdown. So they filed for an emergency ruling in a Massachusetts state court on Monday to delay those plans.
“We’re trying to get more time, and trying to get the key things fixed that kept us from [being able] to transition our customers,” John Schwartz told CNNMoney. He’s the founder and president of Mobile Citizen.
Specifically, the groups want Sprint to operate WiMAX for an additional three months. They say that will give them enough time to move their customers over to Sprint’s LTE network.” Source
@reverseracism @wocinsolidarity @queerwoc @angrywocunited please reblog this! The internet service shutting down will largely effect Non White communities and it’s important that these non profits and the families they serve to have this internet service provided to them! – K
we only have a few days left please sign and share this petition yall! – K
They only need 638 signatures on this petition yall please reblog this and sign it! – K
592….they’re so close y’all please please please sign and reblog this post – k