Cable giant and internet service provider Comcast says they will double the download speeds from 5mbps to 10 mbps for its Internet Essentials service for low-income families in Chattanooga. Exactly how qualifying participants will be vetted isn’t clear yet, with Comcast suggesting that, just as the existing program focuses on low-income families that might sacrifice getting online to save money, so the most affected senior citizens will need to be targeted.
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(Internet Essentials entails speeds of 10 megabits per second for downloads and 1 megabit per second for uploads.).
Comcast is rolling out the Internet Essentials Opportunity cards, loaded with $60 to help families pay for six months of internet service, said Cohen.
The other big announcement is that Comcast is giving away free wireless routers to Internet Essentials customers. Low-income Americans often rely exclusively on smartphones for Internet access, as many can not afford to pay for a cell phone plan and wired, broadband service.
Comcast began its program to narrow the digital divide in 2011, originally set for four years, as federal regulatory approval was needed for the company’s acquisition of NBCUniversal. The first pilot is slated for Palm Beach County, Fla., and Comcast expects to introduce the pilot in additional markets in the weeks ahead. “We’re excited about this opportunity to bring the power of the Internet to this new demographic, so they can stay in touch with family and friends and learn how to do things online like enroll in health care and pay bills”.
Franklin, president and CEO of the Urban League of Palm Beach County, likened access to the internet to a “civil rights issue”. Families get Internet service for $9.95 monthly and can purchase a Net-ready computer for less than $150.
Comcast today announced several significant enhancements and milestones for Internet Essentials, the nation’s largest and most comprehensive high-speed Internet adoption program. Only 25% of seniors with household incomes below $30,000 have home broadband, compared to 82% of seniors with household incomes at or above $75,000. Existing customers who would like a Wi-Fi router need to call the dedicated call center and either request to have one shipped to them for free, or they can schedule a professional installation, also for no additional cost.
Comcast says that about 20,000 schools in its national cable-franchise areas and almost all public schools in Philadelphia fall into this category. In the past, Internet Essentials customers had to buy their own, a barrier to entry for the low-income families that Internet Essentials serves.
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Current Internet Essentials customers who want a Wi-Fi router can call 1-855-846-8376.
