Getting online will now be more affordable for some in 39 states. Comcast is rolling out a new initiative to help low income households connect to the Internet at discounted rates. The cable and Internet service provider will also offer computer literacy training.
The initiative is Comcast’s bid to make good with regulators who required the company to help low income households get connected to the Web in exchange for approval of the company’s NBC Universal acquisition. Comcast is offering the discounted package at $9.95 a month (a third of their standard monthly rate) along with a $149.99 voucher for purchasing a new computer.
The eligibility requirements for the program—households must be in a Comcast service area, not had Comcast service in the last 90 days, and have at least one child eligible to receive a free lunch under the National School Lunch Program—will make a vast impact on those households able to get online. It is estimated that in the Miami-Dade County Public School system in Florida alone, more than 300,000 students would qualify for the program.
