Digital Pipeline promotes affordable and environmentally responsible reuse of used computers to help technologically disadvantaged schools and communities in Africa and other parts of the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What does Digital Pipeline do?

A. Digital Pipeline has developed a supply “pipeline” that enables technologically disadvantaged communities to have affordable access to high quality refurbished computers.

It does this by providing a network of authorised Partners who refurbish, redeploy and recycle IT equipment on behalf of organisations wishing to provide PCs for education and community groups. Partners will ensure that legal, quality and environmental issues are addressed.

Digital Pipeline sets policies and standards that Partners expect to be audited on, thereby providing Donors, Beneficiaries and other Partners with confidence in the Digital Pipeline.

Click here to find out more about Digital Pipeline’s Policies and Standards

Q. How does Digital Pipeline ensure that its policies and standards are adhered to?

A. Digital Pipeline performs random audits and spot checks on Partners to ensure that its policies and standards are observed and adhered to at all times. Digital Pipeline reserves the right to remove the authorisation of any Partner that is in breach of our policies and standards.

Q. What is Digital Pipeline’s charitable status?

A. Digital Pipeline is a UK registered charity – our registration number is 1118674.

Q. How long has Digital Pipeline been operating?

A. Digital Pipeline started in 2004 as part of a Microsoft ICT in schools African Pathfinder project to test the feasibility of using refurbished computers to help technologically disadvantaged communities and build capacity for economic and educational development. Digital Pipeline later became an independently run
not-for-profit organisation and now operates as a registered UK charity.

Click here to view the African Pathfinder Video

Click here to view the African Pathfinder White Paper

Q. How are Digital Pipeline’s Partners classified and what do they do?

A. Partners are classified as follows:

DP Deployment Agents:

DP Deployment Agents deal with requests for Digital Pipeline PCs from Beneficiaries and arrange PC delivery and deployment for them.

Deployment Agents also provide or arrange the provision of additional services that Beneficiaries may request like installation, training, support and maintenance.

Some Deployment Agents provide a one stop PC donation service for organisations that want to donate their own PCs by facilitating collection, refurbishment and distribution of these to Beneficiaries.

Deployment Agents who are given access to Digital Pipeline’s Recycling Fund also arrange the removal and recycling of end-of-life PCs from areas where they deliver Digital Pipeline PCs to.

DP Refurbishers:

DP Refurbishers refurbish donated PCs to Digital Pipeline quality standards as a service for DP Deployment Agents and PC Donors.

Refurbishers may also supply PCs to Deployment Agents that purchase these for Beneficiaries using funds provided by Digital Pipeline’s PC Fund.

Selected DP Refurbishers can also provide remarketing services for Donors that want to sell their used ICT equipment so they can donate the proceeds to Digital Pipeline.

DP Recyclers:

DP Recyclers operate high standard recycling facilities that are equipped to process electronic waste with minimal environmental impact. Recyclers provide services to DP Deployment Agents who return PCs that need recycling.

Partners can apply for one or more of the above authorisations.

Click here for more information

Q. What types of donations can be made?
A. There are three options for donors

1) Donating PCs that you no longer need

Organisations who want to donate a minimum of 50 PCs can donate these to DP Deployment Agents that serve Digital Pipeline´s Beneficiaries. DP Deployment Agents can arrange for PCs to be collected, refurbished to Digital Pipeline standards and delivered to Beneficiaries who need them.

2) Donating the proceeds from sale of your used ICT equipment:

Organisations that are disposing of PCs or any other type of ICT equipment can sell this and donate the proceeds to Digital Pipeline through DP Refurbishers who offer this as a service offering for Donors. DP Refurbishers can manage the whole process from collecting equipment to making a donation to Digital Pipeline.

3) Donating money or raising funds:

Click here to make an online donation or to raise funds for Digital Pipeline

Q. How does Digital Pipeline use money that it receives as a donation?

A. Financial donations to Digital Pipeline are used for the following purposes:

• Funding the purchase of Digital Pipeline PCs for Digital Pipeline Beneficiaries
  (Digital Pipeline PC Fund)
• Funding “like-for-like” recycling of PCs from countries where Digital Pipeline Beneficiaries receive PCs (Digital Pipeline Recycling Fund)
  Maintaining Digital Pipeline’s PC Tracking System and auditing Digital Pipeline Partners

Q. Are there any costs associated with donating PCs?

A. Yes, there are two costs for organisations that donate their own PCs - PC refurbishment costs and Digital Pipeline Recycling Fees.

PC refurbishment costs:

Organisations that donate their own PCs to DP Deployment Agents are expected to cover the Deployment Agent’s costs of arranging for PCs to be collected from the Donor’s premises and refurbished to Digital Pipeline standards before they are delivered to Beneficiaries.

These costs vary depending on which DP Deployment Agent handles your PC donation (Digital Pipeline doesn’t determine these costs) but as a rough guideline, you shouldn’t expect to pay more than about £30 per PC that you donate to cover these costs and in some cases you may pay less than this.

Digital Pipeline Registration Fees:

PC donors pay a fee of £10 (transferred to Digital Pipeline by the Deployment Agent) for each donated PC that is registered with Digital Pipeline. This is set aside in Digital Pipeline’s Recycling Fund, providing funds for recycling PCs that are no longer useful from areas served by Digital Pipeline. Our policy is that for every PC that is donated, another PC that might otherwise be dumped or crudely recycled in these areas should be responsibly recycled with minimal impact on the local environment.

Q. What is involved in refurbishing donated PCs to Digital Pipeline standards?

A. The refurbishment process is carried out by DP Refurbishers who are expected to erase previous owner’s data/programs from hard drives using data eradication software tools, perform electrical safety and functionality tests and legally reinstall an operating system on refurbished PCs. The operating system that was originally on the PC will then be reinstalled. The benefocoary is free to install the operating system of their choice upon receipt of the PC.

DP Refurbishers will responsibly recycle any PCs that fail their tests.

Click here to find out more about our Policies and Standards for DP Refurbishers

Q. Does Microsoft make any profits from any Windows operating system licences that are reinstalled on Digital Pipeline PCs?

A. No. Microsoft only covers its costs for administering the non-profit making program (Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher Program) that enables computer refurbishers to reinstall Windows on refurbished PCs that are supplied to beneficiaries including registered charities and educational institutions. The licences are currently priced at $5 (U.S dollars) per PC.

Click here for more information on the Microsoft Authorised Refurbisher Program

Q. What is the minimum number of PCs that can be donated?

A. DP Deployment Agents will accept a minimum donation of 50PCs (per single collection of working computers from a Donor’s premises).

Q. What is the minimum specification of PCs that can be donated?

A. The minimum specification for donated PCs is currently Pentium 3, although specifications can change at any time (depending on the requirements of Digital Pipeline partners who handle PC donations).

Click here for more information on Minimum PC Specifications

Q. Can equipment other than that specified by Digital Pipeline be donated?

A. Organisations who want to donate different computers to those specified by Digital Pipeline (or other types of ICT equipment that they no longer need) can sell this through a DP Refurbisher instead and donate any proceeds to Digital Pipeline. Digital Pipeline can then use donations to fund the purchase of PCs for Beneficiaries that meet DP’s PC specifications.

Q. Can I donate my own home computer?

A. Digital Pipeline is focused on organisations that are able to donate a minimum of 50 PCs and is not set up to receive donations from households. If you wish to pass on your home computers please contact your local authority or a local charity who may be able to help you with this.

Q. What information does Digital Pipeline provide to organisations who donate PCs?

A. Digital Pipeline maintains a PC Tracking System for partners to enter the details relating to donated PCs that they have registered with Digital Pipeline. Digital Pipeline uses this information to provide PC Donors with quarterly status reports.

Q. Is our data safely removed from computers that we donate?

A. DP Refurbishers are expected to permanently remove data from PC hard drives using data eradication software tools that conform to common standards (such as CESG Infosec 5).

Q. Is Digital Pipeline WEEE compliant?

A. DP Refurbishers and DP Deployment Agents that handle PC donations from UK Donors are expected to fully comply with WEEE regulations and reporting requirements.

Click here to view more information on these regulations

Q. How does Digital Pipeline help to reduce electronic waste in areas where Digital Pipeline PCs are used?

A. Digital Pipeline promotes the development of recycling facilities in areas that are currently unable to recycle electronic equipment and electronic waste without risk to the local environment and population.

Digital Pipeline’s recycling policy aims to ensure that for every PC that is provided to Beneficiaries, a PC that is no longer useful is recycled in its place. To support this policy, Digital Pipeline’s Recycling Fund provides funds for responsibly recycling PCs (or their equivalent weight in PC components) and monitors from areas served by Digital Pipeline. Where this cannot happen locally, PCs may be returned to a DP Recycler elsewhere.

Q. I would like to volunteer with Digital Pipeline, where can I find out more?

A. Please contact Digital Pipeline and we will be pleased to discuss your ideas.
You can contact us by telephone on 0845 452 0492 or you can email us at:

Q. How do Beneficiaries apply to receive Digital Pipeline PCs?

A. Not-for-profit organisations, schools and other educational institutions in developing and developed countries must first register their details with Digital Pipeline and receive a confirmation that their registration has been approved.
Once your registration has been approved by Digital Pipeline you can select one or more Deployment Agents from the Partners section of our website and contact them to check availability of PCs and make your application.

If your application is successful, your Deployment Agent can arrange for PCs to be delivered to you and provide any services that you may request such as installation, training, technical support and maintenance.

Digital Pipeline does not accept registrations from individuals or commercial organisations.

Click here to register

Q.Are there any costs involved for Beneficiaries?

A. Beneficiaries pay a Digital Pipeline administration fee of £5 per PC and are also required to pay the Deployment Agent’s costs for arranging delivery of PCs.

Beneficiaries may also need to pay for other services that they request from their Deployment Agent such as installation, training or support. These costs are not determined by Digital Pipeline and beneficiaries should ask Deployment Agents to advise them further on costs for services that they may need.

Q. Are there any costs involved in becoming a Digital Pipeline Partner?

A. Digital Pipeline sets annual membership fees for Partners as follows:

Q. What is Microsoft’s relationship with Digital Pipeline?

A. Microsoft was the founding member of Digital Pipeline and an employee is currently chairman of the board of trustees. Digital Pipeline is now an independent charity where a board of trustees is accountable for the pursuit of its charitable aims and objectives.

Q. Where is Digital Pipeline based?

A. Digital Pipeline’s offices are based in Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom.
You can contact us by telephone on 0845 452 0492 or you can email us at:

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