August saw the end of a project between CDW and Jangala that started in March. This project saw us work together to help the organisation deliver their Get Box products to people across the UK who are at risk of digital exclusion.
Jangala is a non-profit organisation that bridges the digital divide to provide Wi-Fi access to people in need.
In the UK:
- Only 5% of state school teachers say that all their students have home internet access (Sutton Trust, 2021).
- 35% of young people are restricted in their online activities because of limits to their family’s data allowance (Nominet Digital Youth Index, 2022).
- 37% of young people are concerned they lack the digital skills necessary for securing a good job according to a new report by the Prince’s Trust Decoding The Digital Skills Gap 2024.
- 37% of people over the age of 75 are digitally excluded, according to research from Age UK in 2021.
Jangala’s Get Box product is a rapidly deployable, cost-effective internet connectivity device that provides secure and reliable Wi-Fi for up to 20 users. These are sent to people and communities across the UK through local authorities, such as Waltham Forest Council, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Coventry City Council, and other organisations to provide access to those who need it. This internet access can be used by students to complete homework, young people to gain digital skills to secure jobs, and elderly people to connect with loved ones and for entertainment, reducing social isolation.
Jangala is increasing its operations across the UK with the rollout of 5,000 Get Boxes by March 2025. But this increase in demand has created challenges, for which they turned to CDW for help. Jangala’s mission is one we believe in at CDW, and we were very happy to help not only to solve the issues associated with scaling up Jangala’s output, but also bring our expertise and capabilities to more greatly assist them in their work.
Jangala’s quality control process for the Get Box product was manual and time consuming, which was costly and had a higher risk of errors and inefficiencies. Instead, they needed a scalable solution that could automate the validation process on every router produced.
CDW Technical Lead Shaun Barnett and his team in the NDC designed a solution comprising virtual Wi-Fi adapters, the installation of a central server in our configuration facility, and automation methods that brought significant improvement to the QA and QC process.
This solution now means hundreds of Get Boxes can be configured in a day and can be sent even more quickly to where they are needed most. In the final stage of our project with Jangala, volunteers at our NDC spent two weeks preparing 800 Get Boxes ready for dispatch. These Get Boxes are now on their way to underserved and marginalised communities and will be quickly making a difference in the lives of those without crucial access to Wi-Fi.
At CDW, Jangala’s mission is one close to our hearts. We believe in technology as a force for good, and helping those take advantage of all it has to offer to improve their lives. This was a cross-departmental project that involved many coworkers coming together and collaborating to make a difference. We’re proud to have been able to lend our time and expertise to Jangala to help them not just scale up rapidly and help even more people in need but also save money which can then be directed to other avenues.
‘Jangala aims to connect 4 million people to the internet by 2030 and we need partnerships with ambitious, expert organisations like CDW to help us make this happen. This project is a huge milestone in our position to scale. Our partnership with CDW has brought us closer to a zero-touch solution from manufacturing through to delivery of Get Boxes to our end users. We are so grateful to have access to CDW’s expertise and valuable time as Jangala amps up operations to match the size of the digital exclusion problem in the UK and bring internet connectivity to those who need it most.’ –
Nils O’Hara, Jangala Co-Founder & Charity Secretary
‘I am incredibly proud of our partnership with Jangala. This collaboration not only reflects our commitment to giving back to the community but also embodies the expertise of CDW and our National Integration Centre. Together, we are making a meaningful impact by helping bridge the digital divide across the UK through Jangala Get Boxes.’ – Tom Nesbit, CDW VP Operations UK/International
For more information on Jangala, visit: Jangala
To learn more about CDW’s charitable work, visit: Charities We Support | CDW UK & International