In this webinar, Tom Toepfer from Mobile Beaco shared how TechSoup members can use Mobile Beacon’s donation program for libraries at TechSoup, the available devices and services, how to request multiple devices for multiple branches, and how to create and manage a community Internet lending program.
3. How Mobile Beacon’s
Hotspots Can Boost
Your Library!
Guest Speaker(s):
Thomas Toepfer (Mobile Beacon – Business development: Libraries & Education)
Sarah Harbison (Santa Cruz Public Library - Manager, Collection ManagementServices)
Karen Moore (The Indianapolis Public Library- Supervisor,Digital Inclusion)
Benjamin Heet,(Evanston Public Library- Access Services Manager)
February 29 2024
4. Here’s How to Engage in Today’s Webinar
● Use the Chat function to type in your comments
● Got questions? Please use the Q&A function.
● Check your inbox! We’ll email you the recording, slides, and resource links
within 3 working days
5. • Peer-to-peer community
• Exclusive events
• Expert technical support
• Get to know other nonprofits in your area
Join Quad Today
• Access to the entire TechSoup Courses
catalog
• Access to additional discounts and more
• Membership for 10 users in your organization
12. About Mobile Beacon
Mobile Beacon provides high-speed, low-cost, mobile internet access to the anchors of
communities: the nonprofits, schools, libraries, and healthcare organizations that provide
vital services to millions of Americans daily. Through this unlimited broadband service,
organizations have an essential tool to fulfill their missions and maximize their philanthropic
impact, which allows organizations to access more information, reach more people, and help
more in their communities.
13.
14. BENEFITS FOR
ORGANIZATIONS
Mobile Beacon's Internet service
could be helpful if your organization:
● Lacks traditional Internet access,
has slow access orbandwidth
constraints, or needs a backup
Internet source
● Has Internet service but needs to
provide users with Internet access
in the field or while traveling
● Wants to have a hotspotlending
program to help close the digital
divide in your community
Mobile Beacon Donation Program at TechSoup
The Mobile Beacon donation program at TechSoup provides 4G and 5G unlimited
mobile broadband hotspots to eligible nonprofits, charities, schools, and libraries
throughout the United States.
WHO’S ELIGIBLE?
All nonprofits with 501(c)(3)designation
and public libraries.
Public libraries must either have valid
501(c)(3)nonprofitstatus or be listed in
the Institute of Museum and Library
Services (IMLS) database.
Branch libraries within Libraries systems
are eligible.
TechSoup membership is required.
ANNUAL ORDER
LIMIT
(July 1 to June 30)
Up to 11 donated 4G hotspots
Up to 3 donated 5G hotspots
Up to 11 discounted 5G hotspots
15. SPEED: 4 – 35 Megabits per second with 4G service and 70 –
320 megabits per second with 5G service.
COST PER DEVICE: There is an admin fee collected by
TechSoup when the device is purchased. After registration is
completed with Mobile Beacon, $120 for a 12-month service plan
and shipping and handling for each 4G and 5G hotspot.
AVAILABLE FEATURES: Additional features could be
requested via Mobile Beacon at no additional cost -
● Content filtering.
● Usage reports.
● service suspension (missing device).
Devices Available Through TechSoup
Hotspot for Mobile Beacon 4G
$15 admin fee – Donated
Annual allotment 11 devices
4G and 5G NETWORK COVERAGE:
*Pink = Coverage
Hotspot for Mobile Beacon 5G
$30 admin fee – Donated
Annual allotment 3 devices
$155 admin fee – Discounted
Annual allotment 11 devices
16. Steps to Request Your Donation
1. Check network coverage is available in your area:
www.mobilebeacon.org/coverage/.
2. Visit TechSoup.org/mobile-beacon and add the Mobile
Beacon offering you would like to request to your shopping
cart.
3. Complete the checkout process with TechSoup. There is
an administrative fee payable to TechSoup to participate in these
programs.
4. Once TechSoup confirms your eligibility, you will receive an email
with a unique promotion code and instructions on how to order the
donated device(s) and related 4G service using Mobile Beacon’s
online order form.
5. Complete Mobile Beacon’s online order form to order the devices. -
https://mobilebeacon.my.salesforce-sites.com/order-form. Enter the
promotion code you receive from your TechSoup fulfillment email to
ensure you get the discounted rate.
17. Benefits
Bulk Orders for Hotspots
● Single payment for multiple purchases for
multiple branches
● TechSoup MMD team will register and
update TechSoup membership for each
branch.
● TechSoup will place a bulk order and
bulk payment for each order.
● Mobile Beacon will assist with bulk
processing the order for fulfillment.
● Lower Shipping & Handling Cost
This program feature is popular among nonprofits and
public library systems that have a single purchasing
department, which manages technology procurement for
many branches.
One department purchasing on behalf of multiple
branches involves placing multiple orders and
payment transactions with both TechSoup and Mobile
Beacon.
To streamline the process and accommodate a single
payment, TechSoup can offer to process a bulk order
on their behalf. To use the bulk order process, the
member must be placing at least
5 orders for 11 hotspots each (55 total).
18. PREPARE BULK ORDER FORM
Provide location (branch) info and
how many devices you would like to
order.
Use the Bulk Order Customer
Information Form.
Must have a minimum of 55 devices
to place a bulk order.
CONTACT TECHSOUP
Open a support ticket or
by emailing
MMD@techsoup.org
QUOTE
TechSoup will provide a
quote for the bulk order
request. Quote will include
admin fee, annual service
cost, and S&H.
DOCUMENTS
Work with TechSoup to
provide the following:
- Copy of State SalesTax
Exception Form
- Signed Mobile Beacon
Customer Agreement
CIPA FILTER
INFORMATION
Confirm if these devices
should come pre-installed
with CIPA filter
information.
INVOICE
Once all documents and
info is received, TechSoup
will provide an invoice for
the order.
PAYMENT
- Credit Card
- ACH
- Check *Need to provide
a Purchase Order (Net
30)
BULK ORDER
FULFILLMENT
TechSoup will process the
order with Mobile Beacon.
Shipment tracking info will
be sent to the
organization.
CONFIRM ORDER RECEIPT
Confirm with TechSoup once the
order has been received.
If paid by check, provide payment
info:
- Check number
- Data check was processed
Mobile Beacon Bulk Ordering Process for Libraries and Nonprofits
22. Sarah Harbison
Circulating Collection
140 hotspots are available for checkout with a library card.
● 10 Branches and a bookmobile
● 21-day loan period and renewable as long as no one else is waiting.
● Hotspots housed in small plastic box with locking lid.
○ Includes charging cable, and bilingual quick start guide (created by SCPL).
● Hotspots Kit housed in a computer bag.
○ Includes a hotspot, Chromebook, headset and mouse.
● "Recover and Thrive"
○ grant-funded literacy effort
○ Direct hotspot loans to students
Community Feedback
Overwhelmingly positive! Devices were never available until we recently added
additional devices.
Additional Use Cases
• Homeless Garden Project
• Library bike- mobile
• Janus of Santa Cruz (Substance Recovery Center)
26. TechSoup MMD team
Open a supportticket
https://www.techsoup.org/major-markets
or
by emailing
MMD@techsoup.org
Mobile Beacon
Thomas Toepfer
Business Development: Libraries
And Education
ttoepfer@mobilebeacon.org
Contact Us