Today’s students need consistent and reliable internet access for everything from digital homework and research to online collaboration and streaming course content. For many UHD students who live in households with limited broadband options, Wi-Fi hotspots are more than a convenience—they are essential for participating fully in class, hybrid, and online higher education environments.
This summer UHD joined with T-Mobile in a groundbreaking, new partnership to provide 7,000 free Wi-Fi hotspot units to support K-12 students participating in UHD programs and matriculating into the university, helping to close the digital divide for students across Houston. This generous gift valued at $3.5 million is part of T-Mobile’s $10.7 billion Project 10Million initiative, a nationwide effort to deliver reliable internet access to students who need it most. For UHD, where a significant percentage of students are first-generation college students and come from underserved communities, this initiative directly aligns with the institution’s mission of increasing access for student success.
Freshmen participating in UHD’s Get Ready Gators Summer Bridge Program have already received their hotspots, which have also been distributed at new student orientations and individually. Those incoming freshmen who have not received their hotspots may pick them up at Convocation on Saturday, Aug. 16. Going forward the Admissions team will give them to freshman while recruiting at high schools and other UHD events.
“UHD is incredibly grateful to T-Mobile for their investment in our students and our community,” said Javier “Jay” L. Zambrano, UHD Vice President for Advancement and University Relations. “This partnership sends a powerful message to our incoming freshmen—that UHD is here to support them from the start, and that we are committed to creating pathways to academic achievement for all. Access to technology is access to opportunity, and together with T-Mobile, we are helping our students step into their future fully connected.”
T-Mobile’s Project 10Million has already helped connect more than six million students across the country since the program’s inception, addressing a growing demand for data-driven learning.
This partnership not only supports students’ academic needs but also reinforces UHD’s commitment to eliminating barriers to success. By ensuring incoming students are equipped with free, high-speed internet access from day one, UHD and T-Mobile are working together to level the playing field for all Gators, regardless of their zip code.