Starry Expands Ultra-Low-Cost Broadband Access to Jersey City Housing Authority Residents

Date Published: 
May 31st, 2022

From Starry's press release:

Starry Group Holdings, Inc. (the “Company” or “Starry”)​​, a next generation licensed fixed wireless internet service provider and technology developer, today announced a partnership with the Jersey City Housing Authority (“JCHA”) to provide access to its Starry Connect program for residents at the Hudson Gardens and Thomas J. Stewart communities in Jersey City, New Jersey. Residents will have access to Starry Connect’s high-speed, uncapped home broadband service, with plans starting as low as $15 per month with no data caps, no long-term contracts, no credit checks, no extra fees for equipment, free installation and 24/7 world-class customer support.

Additionally, residents in both communities can opt-into the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides a subsidy of up to $30 per month towards broadband access for eligible households. For residents that sign up for Starry’s service and opt-in to the ACP program, that benefit can cover the entire cost of broadband service for the household while the program remains in effect. Starry launched service in Hudson Gardens, a 224-unit family community, in April 2022. Service to Thomas J. Stewart, a 48-unit senior community, will launch in May 2022.

“At Starry, we believe that connectivity is a social good and therefore should be both affordable and ubiquitous,” said Virginia Lam Abrams, Starry’s Executive Vice President of Government Affairs and Strategic Advancement. “Unfortunately, the high cost of broadband creates an insurmountable hurdle for many of our families living in public and affordable housing to get the home connectivity they need for school, work, and staying connected with loved ones. Starry is proud to partner with JCHA to provide access to low- and no-cost broadband service options to residents of Hudson Gardens and Thomas J. Stewart Apartments.”

“JCHA began focusing on digital equity in 2018, joining ConnectHomeUSA, a national initiative led by EveryoneOn, which seeks to bridge the digital divide for residents of HUD-assisted housing,” said Vivian-Brady-Phillips, JCHA Executive Director. “Research at that time showed fewer than 30% of public housing residents had internet access, and even those who were connected generally lacked laptops or computers. The pandemic has widened the impact of this digital divide, while drawing attention to the barriers that leave low-income households disconnected. We are ecstatic to partner with Starry to bridge this gap by building essential broadband infrastructure and offering high-speed, low-cost access to our residents.”

Read Starry's press release, featuring the Jersey City Housing Authority.

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