A $10-a-month Internet plan sounds like a steal, especially when provider Comcast just announced it would double the speeds to 10 megabits per second.
The cheap plans target consumers with limited incomes. In Colorado, a scant 7.6 percent of eligible families who are taking advantage of Comcast’s Internet Essentials plan, which is $9.95 per month.
On Tuesday, Comcast to expand the program to more families at eligible schools plus make the registration process easier. The company is also starting a pilot program to reach out to low-income senior citizens.
In Colorado, there are 300,000 families who qualify for Internet Essentials plan, said Cindy Parsons, a Comcast spokesperson. Approximately 23,000 have signed up since the program launched.
The plan also gets additional features. For $9.95, the Internet plan will now include a Wi-Fi router, (which is Comcast Internet customers) and access to . There is no installation fee and participants may be able to buy a computer for $150.
Consumers must be approved for the program and meet certain income levels. Some requirements include:
• Have at least one child who qualifies for the (Here is ).
• No outstanding debt to Comcast with the past 12 months
• Haven’t subscribed to Comcast Internet in the past 90 days
Comcast spells out the impact of its Internet Essentials program targeting low-income families.
While the program has targeted families with children in school, Comcast said it is starting a pilot program in Palm Beach Count, Florida for low-income senior citizens. Eligibility requirements are not yet available.
In Colorado, low-income residents also have a , which offers a $9.95 Internet plan with speeds up to 1.5 mbps.
Comcast’s Internet Essentials program has been used by 23,000 families in Colorado, according to the company. (Read more at “.”)
Those interested in getting the service can apply for Internet Essentials at or call 1-855-846-8376 (English) or 1-855-765-6995 (Spanish).
Community activists had after the company increased speeds for higher-paying customers but apparently skipped over the low-income users. Organizers with said it was the effort of 56,000 community members that led Comcast to boost speeds.
“Improving a charity program like Internet Essentials is important, and we congratulate Comcast for listening to so many of its customers and stakeholders who see access to the internet as a human right,” Hannah Sassaman, Policy Director, Media Mobilizing Project, said in a statement.
