Comcast's Internet Essentials program expanding as digital literacy project soars

- (Engadget) - 3 months, 2 weeks ago...

If everyone needs the internet, then poor kids need it more -- since so much learning material is dependent on technology. Comcast teamed up with the FCC to produce Internet Essentials: a $10 a month broadband plan and $150 computers to get the nation's poorest families online. Six months later, the program's been a colossal success, leading to the company adding some sweeteners: eligibility is being relaxed to include any family who qualifies for discounted lunches (swelling the catchment group by a further 300,000). It's also doubling the speed of the available connection: 3 Mbps down and 768 Kbps up and is allowing community groups to bulk-buy packages to directly supply the most impecunious households. It's also pairing up with the "connect to compete" initiative to reduce computer costs, enrich digital literacy materials and connect those outside of Comcast's core service areas. You can head on down to our source link to read the extended report and see how families are benefiting from a little corporate good deed.Comcast's Internet Essentials program expanding as digital literacy project soars originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Feb 2012 18:46:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink   |  Comcast  | Email this | Comments...