Comcast has launched its third year of the Internet Essentials program for low-income families, most recently in Miami, Florida.
Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, Miami Dade County School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Miami Dade League of Cities President and Miami Beach Commissioner Deede Weithorn and Comcast Executive Vice President David Cohen helped to kick off the program on Aug. 13 in the Internet Essentials event in Miami.
"For school students today, digital literacy is no longer an option, it is a necessity," said Carvalho in a Comcast press release. "Our curriculum and information systems are all rapidly moving to the digital world, which means getting students connected to the Internet becomes a more critical task."
According to Cohen, more than 220,000 families, or 900,000 low-income Americans, have acquired broadband access through the Internet Essentials program.
The program provides broadband service for $9.95 per month plus tax, as well as the option to purchase an Internet-ready computer for under $150 and access free digital literacy training. Households are eligible if at least one child is eligible to participate in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) and are in an area where Comcast offers Internet service.
For the third year of the Internet Essentials program, Comcast has expanded eligibility to parochial, private, cyberschool and homeschooled students. They also offer instant approval to families whose students attend schools where 70 percent or more of the students are eligible for the National School Lunch Program.
According to today’s press release, Comcast has increased its broadband speeds for Internet Essentials customers up to 5 Mbps downstream and up to 1 Mbps upstream. On September 1st, Comcast will have more than tripled the download speeds for Internet Essentials customers since the program’s launch.
