BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Reach Mobile announced today the launch of its new mobile service providing consumers with a socially responsible, cost-effective wireless carrier that runs on the nation’s most reliable network and helps bridge the Digital Divide by also giving free connectivity to those in need.
Reach Mobile joins a growing list of companies that give back to make the world a better place, including TOMS, Warby Parker, and Bombas. A key difference is that Reach’s give component continues on a monthly basis. Reach cultivates and nurtures consumer trust by providing fair pricing while enabling people to change lives on an ongoing basis by simply making a one-time decision to change their current mobile provider. Every customer who joins Reach helps to connect someone in need elsewhere. Currently, Reach’s customers are changing the lives of people in the United States, India and Nigeria with digital connectivity.
“Reach Mobile cares about the world and believes its customers do, too,” said Harjot Saluja, CEO of Reach Mobile. “A mobile service provider should deliver high-quality coverage, honesty and transparency to its customers, while doing what it can to better the communities around them. Connectivity empowers individuals and enriches lives, and after visiting areas in the United States, India and Nigeria, we founded Reach Mobile to help create a better, more connected world.”
“In America alone, 50.8 million households can’t afford a monthly smartphone bill, and worldwide there are 3.9 billion unconnected people that don’t have access to the information, opportunities, and resources available online.” said Saluja, adding that the Digital Divide disproportionately affects women in developing nations, who are up to 40% less likely to have used the internet than their male counterparts.
Reach Mobile’s two-pronged approach consists of significant features unique to the mobile service provider – its customer-centric Best Fit™ program and its philanthropic Gigs That Give initiative.
Consumers often purchase large or unlimited data plans for peace of mind, but average monthly data usage from customers on the 4 largest US carriers in 2018 was less than 5GB. Carriers benefit significantly when customers purchase more data than they use. That business model conflicts with Reach’s principles and mission.
With Best Fit™, customers select a plan for budgetary purposes, but pay only for the plan that best aligns with their actual usage in a given month. Reach Mobile automatically lowers monthly bills for the consumer, eliminating the stress and confusion of estimating data usage and overpaying for unused data. For instance, if a customer selects a 5GB plan but uses 2.5GB, they will be charged for the 3GB plan that month.
Through its main pillar of social impact, the Gigs That Give program, Reach Mobile’s values align with those of its customers. Each month, 10% of the cost of every data plan is allocated to providing connectivity to somebody in need. No dollar or data amount is taken from customers to fund this donation; the data is gifted directly from Reach’s profit margins. The program operates with assistance from its global network of charitable partners including the Ripples Foundation in Nigeria, LIFT in the United States, and The/Nudge in India. Qualified recipients, consisting of women, students and families, are identified and monthly plans are assigned accordingly. To date, Reach Mobile has connected 109 people.
“Even in the US, covering a monthly cell phone bill can be a significant—if not unsustainable—financial burden,” says Hina Musa, Program Director at LIFT-DC. “LIFT serves families who often are one unexpected financial cost away from falling back into the cycle of poverty. By working with Reach, we’re able to offer connectivity to parents that enables them to stay connected to their support systems, keep jobs, attend school and put their families on the path toward economic mobility.”
For example, women and families in India utilize their digital data to search for and secure basic medications for their children, connect with separated family members, and educate themselves on the value of their crops to bolster negotiating power with traders who often undervalue their produce.
“We’re proud to provide much-needed access to underserved populations, while also offering the very best service and support to our own customers,” said Saluja. “With excellent coverage, honest and ethical practices, and superior customer service, we offer a high-caliber, affordable mobile option with the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world.”
To learn more about Reach Mobile, its mission to make the world more connected, and its mobile plans, visit www.reachmobile.com.
About Reach Mobile
Reach Mobile is a socially responsible mobile service with an impact. Reach Mobile is an honest mobile service provider, delivering high-quality service on the nation’s leading network and allowing consumers to pay for only the data they use with its Best Fit™ program. Its mission is to create a more connected world, which is why it donates connectivity to those in need through its Gigs that Give program. To learn more, visit www.reachmobile.com.
