Agenda Item
a. Approval of Cellular Services with AT&T Mobility, Inc. (Not to exceed $774,000)
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the purchase of cellular services from AT&T Mobility, Inc. for an amount not to exceed $774,000.
Why: The purpose of this agenda item is to continue providing employees with the necessary cellular services required for emergency response, operational continuity, and connectivity to critical district business functions.
Details: DeKalb County School District provides cell phones to employees whose roles are classified as emergency/first responders or are essential to the continuity of district operations. Cellular service access is based on the employee’s specific operational needs.
Currently, the following devices utilize cellular service:
● 1,060 Smartphones (expandable to 1,500 phones and accessories within budget)
● 25 Hotspots The Telecommunications Department actively monitors device usage and removes inactive devices from service to manage costs.
The District selected AT&T for the following reasons:
● AT&T is providing updated iPhone hardware.
● DCSD is classified by AT&T as a First Responder district, placing our devices on the High Priority FirstNet System, which prioritizes cellular traffic for emergency services.
Financial impact: $774,000 General Funds 100.2800.553000.00011.7600.9990.0308.070.0000
Contact: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer Division of Information & Instructional Technology, 678.676.1274
Effective: November 2025
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs