In this webinar, members learned how Mobile Beacon provides unlimited internet to connect their organization’s services with their users. Members also learned about Mobile Beacon’s hotspots donation program eligibility, available devices, and services throughTechSoup.

1. How Mobile Beacon’s
Internet Can Boost Your
Organization!
Guest Speakers:
Thomas Matson (Mobile Beacon - Business development : Nonprofits)
Thomas Toepfer (Mobile Beacon – Business development : Libraries & Education)
Ann Young (Santa Cruz Public Library – Systems Coordinator)
Sarah Harbison (Santa Cruz Public Library – Librarian)
11.28.2023

2. 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

3. • 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

4. 4 © TechSoup Global. All Rights Reserved.
Today’s Agenda
1. Introductions
2. Learn about Mobile Beacon
3. TechSoup Donation Program
4. How to request donations
5. Hotspot Lending and Community Program
6. Use cases
7. Q&A Session

5. 5 Copyright © TechSoup Global. All Rights Reserved.
Meet Your Speakers
Vanessa
Jimenez
Program
Manager, Digital
Customer
Success
TechSoup
We are excited to share more about Mobile Beacon!
Thomas Toepfer
Business
Development :
Libraries And
Education
Mobile Beacon
Sarah Harbison
Librarian
Santa Cruz Public
Libraries
Ann Young
Systems
Coordinator
Santa Cruz Public
Libraries
Thomas Matson
Business
Development:
Nonprofit
Mobile Beacon
Joseph Garcia
Program Manager
TechSoup

8. Mobile Beacon Donation Program at TechSoup
The Mobile Beacon donation program at TechSoup provides 4G 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) nonprofit status
or be listed in the Institute of
Museum and Library Services
(IMLS) database. TechSoup
membership is required.
ANNUAL ORDER
LIMIT
Organizations may request up
to 11 hotspots per fiscal year
(July 1 to June 30).
**Contact Mobile Beacon if you need
beyond the 11 device allotment.
BENEFITS FOR
ORGANIZATIONS
Mobile Beacon's Internet service could
be helpful if your organization:
● Lacks traditional Internet access,
has slow access or bandwidth
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 hotspot lending
program to help close the digital
divide in your community

9. SPEED: 6 – 8 Megabits per second (Mbps), with peak speeds
of 25 Mbps on T-Mobile 4G.
COST PER DEVICE: There is a $15 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 hotspot.
AVAILABLE FEATURES: Additional features could be requested
via Mobile Beacon at no additional cost -
● Content filtering.
● Usage reports.
● service suspension (missing device).
Device Available Through TechSoup
Franklin T10 4G
*5G devices and Tablets are available via
Mobile Beacon
NETWORK COVERAGE:
*Pink = Coverage

10. 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. You may request up to 11 hotspots per fiscal year (July 1
to June 30).
3. Complete the checkout process with TechSoup. There is a $15
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.

11. White Glove Service
Bulk Orders for Hotspots
● TechSoup will register and update the
TechSoup membership for each branch.
● TechSoup will place an order and
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).
Nonprofit Inquiries: tmatson@mobilebeacon.org
Library Inquiries: ttoepfer@mobilebeacon.org

12. 12 © TechSoup Global. All Rights Reserved.
Hotspot Lending & Community Programs
Pictured: Santa Cruz Public Library – Capitola Branch

14. Library of Things - Hotspot Lending Program
Circulating Collection
200 hotspots are available for checkout with a library card.
● 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.
● Hotspots Kit housed in a computer bag.
○ Includes a hotspot, Chromebook, headset and mouse.
● Administrative features include:
○ Content filtering.
○ Usage reports.
○ Service suspension (missing device).
Community Feedback
Overwhelmingly positive! Devices were never available until we
recently added additional devices. Community members propose new
ideas on how the hotspots could be used for different programs.
Direct Loans
Direct hotspot loans to students to support grant-funded literacy effort
“Recover and Thrive.”

15. 15 © TechSoup Global. All Rights Reserved.
Homeless Garden
Project Farm
Library Bike-mobile
Janus of Santa Cruz
(Substance Recovery
Center)
• Access to Library’s
online job/career
resources
• Registration of new
library accounts
• Registration of new
library accounts at
Farmers’ Markets,
Parades, community
events
Library Community Outreach - Hotspot Use Cases
• Registration of new
library accounts
• Checked out
materials

16. Other Community Use Cases
Boys & Girls Clubs
● Facility use
● Educational support
● Youth engagement -
Mentorships, crafts,
career resources,
etc.
● Member lending
Housing & Emergency
Shelters
● Facility use
● Field employee use
● Virtual services -
Counseling/Educational
programs
Religious
Organizations
● Facility use
● Crisis Support
● Online worship
services
● Parishioner/member
lending Charities/
Foundations
● Virtual events
● Sign up Volunteers
● Social media
outreach
● Online donations
Healthcare/Hospitals
● Field employee use
● Telehealth appointments
● Access to medical
information
● Backup internet source

17. 17 Copyright © TechSoup Global. All Rights Reserved.
Thanks To Today's Speakers…
Tom Matson
617-519-8322
tmatson@mobilebeacon.org
Tom Toepfer
937-239-4749
ttoepfer@mobilebeacon.org
Ann Young
Sarah Harbison

18. Thank You!
Questions contact
sales@mobilebeacon.org