Comcast expands Internet Essentials to more than three million additional households

[Shawn Knight]

Bottom line: With today’s eligibility expansion, Comcast estimates that more than three million additional low-income households will now be eligible to apply for Internet Essentials. Given how paramount Internet connectivity is in modern society, having Internet at home is more important than ever.

Comcast on Tuesday announced the most significant change to date for its Internet Essentials program, a service designed to help bridge the digital divide for low-income families.

Since its introduction in 2011, more than eight million low-income individuals from two million households now have Internet connectivity at home – many for the first time ever.

Internet Essentials affords a 15 Mbps connection with Wi-Fi and comes with no installation fee, no credit check and no contract for $9.95 per month (plus tax). If you qualify for public assistance programs like the National School Lunch Program, Medicaid, SSI or SNAP, you may qualify for Internet Essentials.

David L. Cohen, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast NBCUniversal, said the Internet is arguably the most important technological innovation in history. “It is unacceptable that we live in a country where millions of families and individuals are missing out on this life-changing resource,” he added.

Once you are a customer, Comcast will even sell you a desktop or laptop computer at a discounted price of $149.99. The systems aren’t anything to write home about but given their price, you can’t exactly expect a powerhouse of a gaming system.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/81322-comcast-expands-internet-essentials-more-than-three-million.html

 

[Lifeispossible]

It's nice u can even play multiplayer online games (just not while someone else is watching netflix the upstream is almost nothing), another thing u can't do is stream video like on twitch. Just be sure to get your own modem and wireless router otherwise they charge an extra $5 per month as a rental fee to use theirs (and send back any equipment they send you because they will start charging you). For sure can't complain for the price.

 

[penn919]

They've got their share of problems for sure, but this is certainly a commendable initiative to say the least.

 

[OutlawCecil]

Let's face it. Comcast does this either because they're being forced to or because it's something they can brag about while still scr*wing over their other 99% of customers with high prices and record levels of terrible customer service. It's a monopoly plain and simple.

 

[netman]

This is basically a trap by Comcast! It encourages first time low income folks to sign up for the attractive $10 per month plan and most likely purchase the $150 low powered laptop... After a while Comcast would increase the monthly payment at their exclusive discretion! Or, the user realizes that 10 Mbps speed would not do them any good for their need at all and they are forced to upgrade to a more expensive internet plan...

 

[DelJo63]

When you have NO ACCESS at all, speeds and gaming are meaning less. I promise that once there is access, the educational value far out shadow gaming and video streaming. Simple Google will suffice for a L O N G T I M E!

 

[Danster1616]

My wife's parents have this program it is great!!