Recycling : Second life for recycled computers
Starry, Inc., a next generation licensed fixed wireless technology developer and internet service provider, announced it is partnering with Ziff Davis, a digital media and internet company whose portfolio includes leading brands in technology, entertainment, shopping, health, cybersecurity, and martech, and Human-I-T, a national nonprofit organization focused on creating equitable access to digital opportunities, to expand access to affordable computing devices for Starry Connect communities. Starry Connect is the company’s digital equity program focused on providing ultra-low-cost, high-quality broadband service to families living in public and affordable
housing.
The partnership will provide Starry Connect customers credit towards accessing deeply discounted, refurbished computing devices through Human-I-T. Today, more than 55,000 units of public and affordable housing participate in Starry’s Connect program across Boston, New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., Denver and Columbus, Ohio.
According to a 2021 survey from the Pew Research Center, 13% of lower-income adults in the
United States does not have access to technology at home and 27% can only access the internet from smartphones. According to the National Assessment of Education Progress, 19% of 4th-grade students and 12% of 8th-grade students in public schools may not have either access to the internet or the devices required to carry out distance learning.
Ziff Davis will donate gently-used devices, ranging from laptops to monitors to CPUs, to Human-I-T to refurbish for sale. Starry will receive the benefit of the value of the refurbished devices and provide credits to Starry Connect customers to select and purchase the device that best fits their needs and budget through Human-I-T’s shoppable website.
Starry launched its Starry Connect program in 2018 to address the growing digital divide by providing an affordable and ultra-low-barrier broadband option to public and affordable housing communities. Starry Connect provides communities with a high-speed, broadband service starting at only $15 per month with no data caps, no long-term contracts, no extra fees for equipment, free installation and 24/7 world-class customer support. In addition, Starry Connect does not require credit checks, individual eligibility requirements (such as household participation in SNAP, WIC or Medicaid) or a lengthy application process. This innovative approach to removing broadband adoption barriers earned Starry designation as ConnectHomeUSA stakeholder through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2019.