![Comcast]( "Comcast")
Free broadband service to those who qualify
Free broadband service to those who qualifyJust in time for the back-to-school season, Comcast today announced it will hook up any new qualifying family who has not yet applied for Internet Essentials with up to six months of complimentary service. Families who are approved between today and September 20th, 2014 will receive the full six months of free service, even if they owe a past due balance, which Comcast is willing to wipe away.
The latter is part of an amnesty program for certain low income families who could quality for Internet Essentials, but have a past due balance. If the bill is more than a year old and they're now eligible for the program, Comcast will offer amnesty for the debt for the purpose of connecting to Internet Essentials, as long as the customer meets all other eligibility requirements, the company said.
"Internet Essentials is about transforming lives and inspiring a new generation of leaders to be digitally ready to access the information and tools all students need to succeed in the 21st century,"said David L. Cohen, Comcast Executive Vice President. "By offering six months of free Internet Essentials service, along with an amnesty program, we hope to convince even more families that there is no better school supply than having broadband Internet at home. With it, kids can do their homework and parents can be more connected to their children’s teachers and schools."
Comcast's broadband adoption program has been in place since 2011. It's connected more than 350,000 families, or about 1.4 million low income Americans, and is available in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
Internet Essentials runs $10 per month. There are never any price increases, activation fees, or equipment rental fees. At present, speeds check in at 5Mbps downstream and 1Mbps upstream.
Image Credit: Flickr (Mike Mozart)
