Comcast today announced an expansion of its Internet Essentials program in Indiana, which closes the digital divide by providing low-cost internet to those in need. The company will significantly expand eligibility – for the eleventh time in seven years – to low-income veterans, nearly one million of whom live within the national Comcast footprint. According to the United States Census Bureau’s 2016 American Community Survey, less than 70 percent of low-income veterans have Internet access, and about 60 percent own a computer.
Nationwide, Comcast has now connected more than six million low-income Americans to the Internet through its Internet Essentials program, which is the largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program for low-income families in the U.S. The company connected more than two million people in the last year alone, which is the largest annual increase in the program’s history.
“We’ve made great strides in helping Hoosier families bridge the digital divide that can restrict advancement in career and education,” said Matt Kelley, Government Affairs senior manager for Comcast in Indiana. “It’s so meaningful to extend that same opportunity to Indiana’s low-income veterans.”
“Indiana has made a commitment to supporting veterans in many different ways, ” said Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch. “Comcast is taking a leading role in workforce development by making sure that veterans in need have the Internet access they deserve.”
Since 2011, Comcast has invested more than half a billion dollars to support digital literacy training and awareness across the country, reaching more than 8.5 million low-income Americans. In addition, the company has sold more than 85,000 heavily subsidized computers.
Comcast attributes some of the recent growth of Internet Essentials to its easy-to-use mobile application, which now accounts for more than a third of all enrollments. In addition, the company released a new seven-year progress report. It contains detailed information about customer demographics and insights, as well as a history of the program’s evolution and key milestones. The company has also redesigned its Internet Essentials Learning Center with new content from Common Sense Media and Connect Safely. The site now includes a variety of free videos, tools, and resources that can help individuals learn vital Internet safety and digital skills.
The move to extend Internet Essentials eligibility to low-income veterans is the second largest expansion in the program’s history. For details on how to apply, please visit: https://comca.st/2CYdl8W.
According to the U.S. Census American Community Survey, 81 percent of all U.S. households subscribe to broadband at home, but only 63 percent of households with an annual income of less than $35,000 do. To attack that problem, Internet Essentials has an integrated, wrap-around design meant to address each of the three major barriers to broadband adoption that research has identified. These include: a lack of digital literacy skills, the lack of a computer, and the absence of a low-cost Internet service. The program is also structured as a partnership between Comcast and tens of thousands of school districts, libraries, elected officials, and nonprofit community partners.
