AUCKLAND, New Zealand – With many households already feeling the pinch of inflation, the additional costs that come with the start of a new school year have led to what some not-for-profit agencies are calling a 'cost of learning' crisis.

In a combined effort to help alleviate some of these back-to-school costs, Spark New Zealand and Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) have confirmed that they will continue to offer digitally excluded students across Aotearoa free broadband throughout 2023.

The 'Ciena Jump for Students Fund' offers eligible students across New Zealand who find that cost is a barrier to having an internet connection at home, a free Skinny Jump wireless modem and broadband connection – including 210GB of free data per month, until the end of the school year.

The New Zealand Government's Digital Blueprint estimates that one in five New Zealanders experience digital exclusion in some form for a number of different reasons ranging from access, affordability, skills, motivation, trust and more. Although providing free access isn't a silver bullet that's going to fix the issue of digital inequity on its own, a solution like the 'Ciena Jump for Students Fund' that addresses affordability is a good place to start.

Matthew Vesperman, Regional Managing Director, Ciena Asia Pacific, says, "As a key enabler of innovations that drive connectivity and fuel our digital world, Ciena remains committed to providing greater access to the Internet, an essential learning tool for today's young minds. Ciena Jump for Students fund is one of the first projects that Ciena committed to fund as part of our Digital Inclusion social impact programme. To see it being continued, together with our customer Spark, is definitely a breakthrough in our goals to help bridge the digital divide."

Read the full press release here.

Ciena