Yesterday, Comcast expanded its “Internet Essentials” program to cover Pell Grant recipients. Comcast will also donate $15 million worth of Internet service and devices, including 25,000 laptops.
These actions are the latest developments in Comcast’s long-standing pledge to connect more Americans. Internet Essentials is Comcast’s decade-old program for boosting high-speed Internet adoption among low-income persons, veterans, and seniors. Eligible subscribers get affordable home broadband up to 50/5 mbps for $9.95 per month. The program has had great success in narrowing the digital divide.
Free State Foundation scholars have previously shared news regarding Internet Essentials 10-Year Progress Report. This report highlighted the success of Internet Essentials and need for continuing its mission. Over the past 10 years, Comcast’s $700 million investment in Internet Essentials connected 10 million Americans to high-speed broadband. During that time, Internet Essentials was responsible for 40% of new Internet subscriptions by low-income families with school-aged children. And also in that report, Comcast committed another $1 billion to connect 50 million Americans over the next decade.
Expanding Internet Essentials to the roughly 7 million annual Pell Grant recipients will contribute to meeting this goal. The COVID-19 pandemic made many Americans deeply familiar with how critical connectivity is to achieving a quality education. And changes to learning methods such as hybrid classrooms will make affordability and adoption efforts more important than ever for education.
Free State Foundation scholars support private initiatives by our nation’s broadband providers to boost adoption and close the digital divide. Internet Essentials is such a successful initiative. Senior Fellow Seth Cooper highlighted the 10-Year Progress Report back in March. Senior Fellow Andrew Long covered expansions to the program in February. And Free State Foundation President Randolph J. May featured earlier Internet Essentials expansions in 2020, 2019, 2018, and 2017.
The latest announcement from Comcast
is timely and welcome.
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