HARTFORD, Conn., Oct. 3, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Comcast
Corporation announced Internet Essentials, the nation's largest and
most comprehensive high-speed Internet adoption program, has
expanded its senior pilot program to low-income seniors in
Hartford. Comcast also announced that it has now connected
more than 32,000 residents from 8,000 households across the state
of Connecticut. Across the nation, Comcast has now connected
more than four million low-income Americans, in one million
households, to high-speed Internet service at home.
The Company also announced it has made two key program
enhancements:
- For the fourth time in six years, Comcast has increased the
program's Internet service speeds, this time from 10/1 Mbps to up
to 15/2 Mbps. More speed was the number one requested
enhancement from Internet Essentials customers, and this latest
increase will improve streaming quality in the home (15 Mbps is
three times the speed necessary to view a high definition video),
especially when multiple devices are connected to the Internet at
the same time.
- To help family members connect to the Internet on the go and
save money on their wireless bills, Internet Essentials customers
can also now enjoy 40 hours of free out of home WiFi access per
month to the company's growing network of 18 million Xfinity WiFi
hotspots. This WiFi access is being offered in addition to
the free in-home WiFi Internet Essentials customers currently
enjoy.
In addition, Comcast today announced it is making three
investments in local non-profit partners in Hartford. First,
Comcast will provide a grant to the Boys & Girls Club of
Hartford to support digital
training for the more than 3,600 boys and girls served by the
Club's programs, including My.Future, which is the Boys & Girls
Clubs of America's signature digital literacy program.
Second, Comcast is investing in the Urban League of Greater Hartford to upgrade its technology
center to support training and workforce development programs that
will benefit more than 2,000 individuals and their families.
In addition, the Urban League will provide 20 training programs for
the nearly 200 seniors who live at the Betty Knox Apartment
Complex.
Third, Comcast announced it is donating a total of more than 100
computers to: the Hartford Housing Authority's Betty Knox Senior
Apartment Complex, young women participating in the YWCA's
Young Women's Leadership Corps, and
children involved with the Hartford Boys & Girls Club's
My.Future program.
This integrated approach is part of the core design of the
Internet Essentials program to address each of the three major
barriers to broadband adoption – digital literacy, access to
computer equipment, and affordable Internet service. The
program is also structured as a partnership between Comcast and
thousands of school districts, libraries, elected officials, and
nonprofit community partners, to address this complex set of
broadband adoption issues.
David L. Cohen, Senior Executive
Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of Comcast Corporation,
made these announcements in Hartford with six-time Olympic medalist
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, who is
serving, for the second year in a row, as Internet Essentials'
national spokesperson. Their visit in Hartford is part of a multi-city tour, which
will run through October.
"When we started this program six years ago, we never imagined
four million low-income Americans would benefit from it," said
Cohen. "We also never would have reached this milestone
without our many dedicated nonprofit partners, elected officials,
educators, employees, libraries, and advocates who were all united
by the belief that the Internet is essential, not only to compete
in the 21st century economy, but also to be connected to
loved ones and the world. While this milestone is a wonderful
moment to celebrate, it also inspires all of us to keep going to
connect even more families to all that the Internet has to offer
for education, jobs, healthcare, news, information, and
entertainment."
Also accompanying Cohen and Joyner-Kersee was Hartford Mayor Luke
Bronin.
"The Internet has become a necessity for all Hartford residents, and our aim is to expand
access to quality, affordable Internet throughout our City," said
Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin. "I want to thank Comcast for
providing its Internet Essentials program for the last six years
and the recent enhancements they've made to make it easier for more
residents to get connected."
About Internet Essentials
Internet Essentials from
Comcast is the nation's largest and most comprehensive high-speed
Internet adoption program for low-income Americans. It
provides low-cost high-speed Internet service for $9.95 a month plus tax; the option to purchase an
Internet-ready computer for under $150; and multiple options to access free digital
literacy training in print, online and in person. For more
information, or to apply for the program, visit
www.InternetEssentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376.
Spanish-only speakers should call 1-855-765-6995.
About Comcast
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a
global media and technology company with two primary businesses,
Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the
nation's largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to
residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides
these services to businesses. It also provides wireless and
security and automation services to residential customers under the
XFINITY brand. NBCUniversal operates news, entertainment and
sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks,
television production operations, television station groups,
Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit
www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.
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SOURCE Comcast Cable