Subsidised broadband Spark Jump

Wednesday 15 August 2018

Subsidised broadband Spark Jump is now available in more places in the Waikato

Today Spark Foundation and Web Access Waikato Trust have announced that subsidised broadband is now reaching more families across the Waikato in Morrinsville, Mangakino, Te Aroha, Paeroa, Huntly, Te Kauwhata, Meremere and Hamilton enabling more students to develop the digital skills necessary for today.

Spark Jump is extending its reach across the Waikato and is available through Ezekiel Trust Budgeting Service, Waahi Whaanui Trust, Mangakino Central Charitable Trust, Paeroa Community Support Trust, Te Aroha Budget Advisory Inc, Te Kauwhata Community House and Te Whare Kokonga.

As classroom learning goes digital, students without broadband at home are at risk of being left behind. Spark Jump enables more children to go online outside of classroom hours and get on the right side of the Digital Divide. Families with children from 5 to 18 years old and no current broadband connection are eligible for the programme. They will receive a modem and a wireless broadband connection and $10 for 30GB with no fixed term contract. As a pre-pay service, the modem can be topped up at any time in the same way as pre-pay mobile phones.

Spark Foundation partners with community-based organisations like Web Access Waikato to deliver wireless broadband to families without internet.

The Trust is active in communities across the Waikato and works with local partners to select families for the programme based on the eligibility criteria set by the Spark Foundation and the intent to support education.

In the Waikato, the local partners will help families set up and manage their Spark Jump internet connections. Interested families should contact the Web Access Waikato Trust to enquire when Spark Jump sessions are being held.

Web Access Waikato Trust manager Shane Hobson says Spark Jump will help close the skills gap between families who can afford home broadband and those who can't.

"We're passionate about empowering our community with access to online services and it's important for everyone to keep up with the digital skills necessary for today. Access to the internet is critical to get our children better placed to do amazing things in school and later in life, and adults need to have the confidence to support them,” says Shane.

“It is important to make internet access more accessible, especially with the Digital Divide being such a topical issue. For some families, home broadband is simply not affordable. We know that an initiative like Spark Jump will help more children in our community thrive and do better at school," Shane adds.

Spark Foundation lead Kate Thomas is pleased the partnership with Web Access Waikato Trust is expanding the reach of Spark Jump to reach more families at risk of being digitally excluded in the Waikato region.

“We’re pleased to serve communities around the country with a truly useful product like subsidised broadband. We're excited to see even more homes in Waikato turn into digital learning environments to better prepare students for the digital world," says Ms. Thomas.

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