On the 10th anniversary of Comcast’s Internet Essentials program, geared towards low-income customers, the company announced plans to invest $1 billion over the next 10 years to help close the digital divide. This continuing initiative is estimated to connect as many as 50 million Americans, according to the company.
Comcast also released a 10-year progress report detailing the evolution of the Internet Essentials program, including:
- Increasing speeds by 6x — 1.5 Mbps in 2011, to 50 Mbps today — without increasing costs ($9.95/month)
- Launching the Lift Zone program, which aims to connect more than 1,000 community centers with free WiFi by the end of 2021
- Partnering with schools and other organizations to keep students connected during the pandemic
- Developing an Internet Essentials Ambassador program, where employees (3,000) volunteer their time to inform their communities about the program
Since 2011, when Comcast launched the Internet Essentials program, it has connected more than 10 million unserved Americans to broadband in conjunction with thousands of non-profit partners. According to Marc H. Morial, President, and CEO of the National Urban League, a Comcast partner, “From its beginning as a pilot program with the Wilmington Urban League to today, Comcast’s Internet Essentials program has transformed millions of lives by connecting low-income households to the power of broadband.”
Comcast’s ongoing $1 billion investment includes several initiatives:
- Additional support for its ongoing Lift Zone initiative, helping further close the “homework gap”
- New laptop and computer donations
- Grants for non-profit community organizations to create opportunities for low-income residents
- Continued investment in the Internet Essentials program
Dave Watson, Chief Executive Officer, Comcast Cable, said of the Internet Essentials program, “Together, we have been able to connect millions of people to the power of the Internet at home, and to the endless opportunity, education, growth, and discovery it provides. Today, we are rededicating ourselves to this mission to ensure that the next generation of students in America has the tools, resources, and abilities they need to succeed in an increasingly digital world.”
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