CommScope is working with non-profit organizations, partners and employees to provide assistance around the world for the COVID-19 pandemic, including donations to hospitals around the world, pop-up WiFi centers, distance learning support and making face shields with its 3D printers.
“CommScope recognizes the need for the private sector to assist in the current crisis. We are working with organizations and communities around the world to provide much-needed communications equipment and expertise to support critical industries that are serving our communities,” said CommScope president and CEO Eddie Edwards in the company announcement.
“The actions we are taking align to CommScope’s purpose, vision and values, which is why our teams across the globe are reaching out to local organizations to get students connected for distance learning and to offer relief to industries that are being hit hard at this time,” he said.
“We are also taking this time to focus on donating talent, time and treasure to help with some of the greatest humanitarian needs,” said Robyn Mingle, senior vice president and Chief Human Resource Officer. “We’ve created these lasting connections with our employees, partners and customers and now is the time for us to show our support.”
CommScope is working with ITDRC on connectivity projects during the pandemic.
How CommScope is Helping During Pandemic
CommScope’s people, products and services are supporting a variety of needs, including:
- Hospitals: In China, Europe and the U.S., CommScope donated product and expedited delivery of in-building wireless systems as new hospitals were built to support COVID-19 patients.
- Pop-up Wi-Fi centers: In conjunction with the Information Technology Disaster Resource Center (ITDRC), CommScope donated outdoor wireless access points and switches, free support for a year, and cash to assist with pop-up centers for emergency healthcare delivery and homework hot spots.
“We’re honored and thrilled to continue our partnership with CommScope during this critical time,” said ITDRC operations director Joe Hillis. “They continue to amaze us by contributing their people, products, and financial support to enable us to provide Wi-Fi access to rural and underserved communities.” [related]
- Distance learning support: CommScope is working with school districts, partners and service providers to extend coverage outdoors and equip school buses with outdoor access points with LTE backhaul, and PoE switching.
The buses can then be parked in strategic locations to enable students to connect to the internet to complete schoolwork. This proof-of-concept has already been implemented in Indiana and Pennsylvania and is being explored by additional school districts throughout the U.S.
“The deployment of the external access points went very well,” said Shawn Beard at Red Lion Area School District. “We published updated coverage maps on our website, and we know for a fact that students are using the expanded wireless connection.
“We actually had a parent with students sitting in the fire lane at our most southern elementary school while we were hanging the access point. She was thrilled to hear that they would now be able to get good connectivity from the parking lot. We greatly appreciate how the CommScope team has gone above and beyond for us,” said Beard.
- Face shields: 3D laser printers are being used to create face shields for healthcare workers. In addition, CommScope global teams are rounding up safety glasses and masks to donate to local healthcare facilities.
- Monetary donations: CommScope made financial donations to several organizations including American Red Cross, and the Goa State COVID-19 Relief Account in India, ITDRC and United Way Chihuahua, Mexico.
The donations will be used to buy supplies for local hospitals including protective medical supplies and medical equipment to care for patients confirmed for COVID-19, as well as pantry support for vulnerable families in the Mexico.
- Free training: CommScope is offering more than 50 courses and 150 hours of training in the CommScope Infrastructure Academy for free to customers and partners to increase product and technology knowledge with no financial burden.
- Free support: CommScope will keep global education and hospitality customers of RUCKUS gear connected by automatically adding three months to new and existing support contracts. Further, every support call will be accepted until July 1, regardless of whether there is a contract in place.
- Matching employee donations: One of the most universal needs during this time is addressing hunger due to loss of income, students out of school and other uncontrollable situations. CommScope will match employee donations to selected global hunger relief organizations.
- Employee volunteer time: CommScope is offering salaried employees the opportunity to use special paid leave to support COVID-19 related community outreach efforts, including check-ins with retired employees to provide support, if needed.
