Leap Wireless, One Economy team to vye for broadband stimulus funds

Leap Wireless and One Economy have teamed up to apply for broadband stimulus funds that would bring wireless broadband access and digital literacy training to 23,000 low-income families in Baltimore, Houston, Memphis, San Diego and Washington, D.C.

Leap said the program would build on work already done by Project Change Access, launched last fall in Portland, Ore., as a pilot by LCW Wireless and One Economy. Leap owns a non-controlling interest in LCW Wireless, which offers Leap's Cricket unlimited service in Oregon markets. Project Change Access would furnish subsidized, low-cost wireless broadband via Cricket's 3G wireless network and a wireless device designed to work with both desktops and laptops. Leap said it submitted its proposal to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is overseeing the allocation of around $7 billion in broadband stimulus grants.

One Economy, which FierceBroadbandWireless recently profiled, has been providing free WiFi access in metropolitan areas across the country to low-income housing units.

For more:
- see this release

Related articles:
No surprise: Country's largest network operators not applying for stimulus money
One Economy weaving broadband into low-income housing