Technology -- Remote Learning and Home Wi-Fi

If you or your student needs help or guidance with technology, student email addresses or accessing grades, please let us know using the MS 54 Technology Help Form. This form may also be used to request a remote learning device (iPad) for student use at home.

DOES YOUR STUDENT NEED A REMOTE LEARNING DEVICE?
If your student needs a school-provided iPad for use at home, please fill in a  Student Device Loan Agreement (leer en español) and have your student submit it to their homeroom teacher. ​School-issued devices may only be kept by the students through 8th grade or upon transferring out of MS 54.

The DOE is no longer funding cellular data service (LTE) for student devices.

FREE MICROSOFT SOFTWARE

DO YOU HAVE A DEVICE BUT DON'T HAVE WI-FI AT HOME?
NYC's Office of Technology and Innovation officially launched Big Apple Connect to ensure that NYCHA residents have access to free, fast, reliable, and safe internet. NYCHA residents without existing home internet will be able to sign up for Big Apple Connect with either Optimum or Spectrum (service provider will depend on where you live). Existing Optimum and Spectrum customers will have their bills reduced to as low as $0, as monthly internet and basic cable TV charges are eliminated.
Learn more about this program.

There are several free or low-cost internet options available to New York City students and families.

T-Mobile’s Project 10Million
T-Mobile is proud to partner with the NYC DOE in joint efforts to continue to eliminate the Digital Divide in New York City. T-Mobile has a robust program, Project 10Million, that they are offering to all families who lack consistent internet connectivity at home for their K12 students, and qualify for free-reduced lunch, SNAP, or EBT benefits. Please navigate to https://www.t-mobile.com/brand/project-10-million, click on “Apply now,” and fill out a brief form to receive a free 4G wireless hotspot device with 100GB of high speed data, free, annually for five years.

If you need to find your student’s school to complete the form, please enter “NYC” in the School District box on the form. This will display four options. Please select ‘ NYC Chancellor’s Office #NY-300000010000’ . You should then be able to locate the correct school in the School Name dropdown box by typing the first few letters of the school name. If the school is not listed for some reason, you can select ‘I do not see my school listed…’ and continue with the application process.

For more information on this project, please go to: DTC Flyer – English or DTC Flyer - Español. Any questions regarding delivery or support of the items should be directed T-Mobile. If you have any issues in signing up the direct number for support is 1-877-775-1066.

Free Hoop Wireless Tablet with Internet
Hoop Wireless offers a tablet with 10GB of high-speed data per month, at no cost. Any household receiving government assistance (e.g., Medicaid, SNAP, Section 8, Free or Reduced School Lunch, WIC, etc.) is eligible. Available through the FCC’s ACP, there is a limit of one offer per household with a $10 one-time copay required.

• Receive a new, quality 10" tablet every year
• Enjoy 10GB of high-speed data and unlimited additional data
• Get hotspot capability for connecting other devices
• Sign up in less than five minutes

Please note: Only existing ACP subscribers are eligible for this offer.

Free Internet for Your Home
The following internet carriers are offering free household Wi-Fi or special accommodations for 60 days:

Comcast
Charter Communications/Spectrum
Altice

Learn more about the above at NYC.gov.

Free Internet Locations in NYC
​There are many places across the city where you can go to connect to internet for free. Locations include:

• All branches of the New York Public Library
• Several public spaces in Lower Manhattan
• LinkNYC kiosks across the City
  
  

Low-Cost Internet Plans
The following internet plans are available to eligible participants. Eligibility varies by provider. Contact the provider for more information.

Altice (also known as Optimum)
Altice offers Altice Advantage, a plan that starts at $14.99/month. To qualify, you must be:

• eligible for--or participate in--the National School Lunch Program (NSLP); or
• a New York City resident who attends a New York City public school; or
• eligible for--or receive--Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and 65 years of age or older; or
• a veteran and receive state or federal public assistance.

Charter (also known as Spectrum)
Charter offers Spectrum Internet Assist, a plan that starts at $14.99/month. To qualify, one or more members of your household must be a recipient of one of the following assistance programs:

• National School Lunch Program (NSLP) 
• Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the NSLP 
• Supplemental Security Income (for applicants age 65+ only) 

Verizon
Verizon offers the Lifeline program, a plan that starts at $19.99/month. To qualify:

• Your annual income is at 135% or less than of the U.S. federal poverty guidelines
• You, or someone in your household, participates in a qualifying federal assistance program:
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (formerly known as food stamps), or
  • Medicaid, or
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
  • Federal Public Housing Assistance (FPHA) 
  • Veterans Pension and Survivors Benefit 
  • Tribal Programs (and live on federally-recognized Tribal lands)

For more eligibility information, visit Lifelinesupport.org

Wi-Fi Hotspots for Existing Cable Customers
​As an extension of their internet service, the providers listed below enable each other's high-speed internet customers to access up to 500,000 nationwide WiFi hotspots through the network name CableWiFi:

• Cox
• Optimum
• Spectrum
• Xfinity

Learn more at cablewifi.com

For the latest information, go to to the Internet Options page at schools.nyc.gov