Using the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) to Get Students the Digital Tools They Need

The continuing pandemic is driving hybrid education strategies—with students getting a mix of in-person and digital instruction depending on circumstances and available school resources. The need to expand teaching channels outside of traditional classroom walls has never been greater. It’s not a short-term situation. How we teach is evolving long-term. Students will continue to require connectivity and devices, and the need will only expand over time as more and more digital learning options are created for K-12.

However, many schools lack the expertise and resources needed to manage large-scale rollouts of devices, wireless 5G LTE connectivity activation, end-user support, and device tracking. Stratix—an authorized vendor in the federal ECF program—has partnered with T-Mobile to solve school district pain points. We offer specialized end-to-end Smartmobile Education Technology services that simplify device sourcing, T-Mobile connectivity and activation, and device lifecycle management—all from a single point of contact.

We understand the challenges and complexities of implementing a successful education program to meet the unique needs of students:

  • Speed & Scale: Device sourcing, procurement, wireless provisioning, kitting, and configuration from a single provider
  • Complete Lifecycle Services: Order management, asset management, deployment, device repair, and IT Asset Disposition
  • Mobile Support Services: Student and educator help desk, device renewal programs, and end-of-year tune-up service for your devices

Stratix and T-Mobile take on these challenges with our Smartmobile Education Technology Program that lessens the burden on IT teams:

  • We are experts at complex, large-scale deployments delivering out-of-the-box-ready solutions tailored for students and educators
  • We have the industry’s most advanced Mobile Integration Center to provision, kit, configure, and deploy your mobile devices. Our proprietary itrac360 platform provides a single dashboard view of your entire mobile ecosystem where you can submit and track device RMAs
  • Our trained help desk supports students and educators with device issues and offers renewal programs for accidental damage and repair. Return your devices to Stratix for an end-of-year tune-up, and we will repair and refurbish them back to factory specifications

We’ve thought of everything so you don’t have to.

  • Hardware (devices and hotspots), support services, and connectivity, are pre-packaged for you. This includes up to $400 for a device, up to $250 for a hotspot, and reasonable connectivity costs per student.
  • Student connectivity to close the homework gap and deliver education materials virtually to students in real-time. T-Mobile will provide connectivity on their nationwide LTE/5G network.
  • Student security via our partnership with Bark for Schools to protect students from online dangers.
  • High-value, end-to-end managed services with an extensive partner ecosystem to satisfy your mobile technology requirements.
  • Extensive strategic expertise to ensure that your mobile programs are tailored to offer secure, easy-to-use experiences for all of your students and educators.
  • Certified help desk agents trained to quickly troubleshoot a wide range of device issues and provide unparalleled service with industry-leading customer satisfaction scores.
  • Device lifecycle management services for worry-free repair services of broken devices, covering accidental damage—as early as the next day—to keep students engaged.

Why Stratix

As North America’s premier enterprise mobility specialist, Stratix focuses exclusively on mobility services and has over two million devices under management. Our services are backed by specialized teams to architect, deploy, manage, and support your mobile program, guaranteeing nonstop mobility and a consistent brand experience for your customers and employees.

Stratix offers highly integrated and supported deployments for education devices and services. We provide premium procurement, deployment, and lifecycle management services, plus Day-2 Support of the entire device lifecycle.

Why T-Mobile

With T-Mobile’s unmatched 5G coverage, your students can rest assured they will have the connectivity they need to complete their homework and attend virtual learning sessions. T-Mobile offers affordable rate plans that include unlimited hotspot connectivity to America’s largest, fastest, and most reliable 5G network. T-Mobile is dedicated to helping students across the nation get connected to close the homework gap and help educators transform the way educators teach.