Comcast’s Internet Essentials Program Has Now
Connected More Than 10 Million People Over the Past 10 Years
On the 10th anniversary of its Internet Essentials program,
Comcast today announced it would invest $1 billion over the next 10
years to help further close the digital divide and give even more
low-income Americans the tools and resources they need to succeed
in an increasingly digital world. The announcement coincides with
the release of a 10-year Progress Report showing that, since 2011,
the company, working in collaboration with its network of thousands
of nonprofit partners, has connected a cumulative total of more
than 10 million people in America to broadband Internet at home,
the overwhelming majority of whom were not connected prior to
signing up.
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Comcast’s $1 billion commitment will include investments in a
number of critical areas, including: additional support for its
ongoing Lift Zone initiative, which establishes WiFi-connected safe
spaces in 1,000+ community centers nationwide for students and
adults by the end of 2021; new laptop and computer donations;
grants for nonprofit community organizations to create
opportunities for low-income Americans, particularly in media,
technology, and entrepreneurship; and continued investment in the
company’s landmark Internet Essentials program. It is estimated
that these new commitments will impact as many as 50 million
Americans over the next 10 years. In 2021 alone, Comcast estimates
students will be able to complete more than 25 million hours of
remote learning lessons to further address the “homework gap” at
the hundreds of Lift Zone locations that have already opened or
will open soon.
“Ten years is a remarkable milestone, signifying an
extraordinary amount of work and collaboration with our incredible
community partners across the country,” said Dave Watson, Chief
Executive Officer, Comcast Cable. “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.”
“For more than a decade, Comcast has been a leader in working
with communities to close the Digital Divide through its Internet
Essentials program,” said Marc H. Morial, President and CEO of the
National Urban League. “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. While the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic placed a spotlight on the digital divide, for the past
decade Comcast, in partnership with organizations like the National
Urban League, has been leading the effort to close the digital
divide, address the homework gap, and ensure low-income communities
have the necessary digital skills.”
“Last year, we partnered with Comcast on a major campaign to
encourage Americans to participate in the first-ever digital
census,” added Rebecca DeHart, CEO, Fair Count. “We are so proud to
have partnered with Comcast on this valuable work—connectivity is
incredibly essential to civic participation. It gives communities a
voice and it enables individuals to take part in the cultural
conversations that need to take place in this country. Broadband
adoption, just like census participation, can mean the difference
between communities growing and thriving or being left behind. For
the past decade, the Internet Essentials program has successfully
helped to narrow these digital divides. We look forward to the next
10 years of Internet Essentials and join Comcast in celebrating
this significant achievement.”
“For a decade Comcast’s Internet Essentials program has provided
Latino families with tools and resources to access high speed
Internet at home. Hispanic Federation has been proud to partner
with Comcast and work with this program to bridge the digital
divide and offer Latino communities the opportunity to access
health, educational, and economic resources online,” said Brent
Wilkes, Senior Vice President at the Hispanic Federation. “We look
forward to the next ten years of partnership with Comcast as we
tackle more challenges in our ever-changing digital world.”
In addition to capturing the total number of connections
Internet Essentials has provided, the 10-Year Progress Report also
highlights other key metrics about the program, including
having:
- Increased the program’s Internet speeds six times, from 1.5
Mbps in 2011 to 50 Mbps today, without ever increasing the price of
the program, which has remained $9.95/month.
- Launched its Lift Zones program, which aims to connect more
than 1,000 community centers with free WiFi by the end of
2021.
- Developed an Internet Essentials Partnership Program that has
signed up hundreds of schools, school districts, and other
organizations that have come together to help connect tens of
thousands of students to the Internet during the COVID-19
pandemic.
- Offered 60 days of free Internet service to any new Internet
Essentials customer who needed to get online during the coronavirus
outbreak.
- Expanded the number of languages our Internet Essentials call
center agents can speak to more than 240, plus American Sign
Language, to help ensure we break down language barriers that can
prevent people from applying or getting online.
- Built up an online learning center that includes more than 200
digital literacy training videos, guides, and reports that are free
to anyone to use, including non-customers.
- Developed an employee network of 3,000 Internet Essentials
Ambassadors who volunteer their time to help spread the word about
the program in their communities.
This new commitment comes on the heels of a series of
initiatives announced during the COVID-19 pandemic that reinforced
the company’s commitment to addressing the digital divide and the
homework gap by upping speeds to 50 Mbps downstream without
changing the program’s $9.95/month price. The company also
continues to offer 60 days of free Internet service to new Internet
Essentials customers who sign up before June 30, 2021.
About Internet
Essentials
Internet Essentials is Comcast’s signature digital equity
initiative and the nation’s largest and most comprehensive
broadband adoption program. In 10 years, it has helped connect 10
million low-income Americans to broadband Internet at home, most
for the very first time. Internet Essentials has a comprehensive
design that addresses each of the three major barriers to broadband
adoption. This includes: multiple options to access free digital
literacy training in print, online, and in person; the option to
purchase a heavily subsidized, low-cost Internet-ready computer;
and low-cost, high-speed Internet service for $9.95 a month, plus
tax. The program is structured as a partnership between Comcast and
tens of thousands of school districts, libraries, elected
officials, and nonprofit community partners. Comcast has never
raised the price of the program. For more information about
Internet Essentials and Comcast’s commitment to education and
digital equity, please visit
https://corporate.comcast.com/education. To apply, visit
www.internetessentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376 for English or
1-855-765-6995 for Spanish.
About Comcast
Corporation
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global media and
technology company that connects people to moments that matter. We
are principally focused on broadband, aggregation, and streaming
with over 56 million customer relationships across the United
States and Europe. We deliver broadband, wireless, and video
through our Xfinity, Comcast Business, and Sky brands; create,
distribute, and stream leading entertainment, sports, and news
through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Universal Studio
Group, Sky Studios, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks,
Peacock, NBC News, NBC Sports, Sky News, and Sky Sports; and
provide memorable experiences at Universal Parks and Resorts in the
United States and Asia. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more
information.
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Charlie Douglas charlie_douglas@comcast.com (215) 264-8020
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