By: Brionna Thompson, Comcast intern
With kids back in the classroom, now is a good time to ensure they have the right technology – at an affordable price – in place to support their success. Here are some easy ways to save money and ensure your internet service is in tip-top shape.
How to stretch your dollar
- If you’re considering a mobile phone for the first time for your school-age child, consider a refurbished device which can save you hundreds of dollars. Make sure it comes with a warranty.
- Bundling services, like internet and mobile, is a great way to save money. Depending on your technology provider and usage needs, mobile service can be added for as low as $15 per month.
- For income-constrained households, the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) offers a $30 monthly credit toward your internet and/or mobile service with any participating provider, including Comcast. A household qualifies for ACP if the household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines or if a member of the household meets at least one of several eligibility criteria. The $30 monthly credit, combined with a participating provider’s existing low-income internet program, often makes internet in the home free.
How to stretch and strengthen your WiFi
If your WiFi seems to be lagging, you can try these quick, easy troubleshooting tips to resolve any issues before calling your internet service provider.
- Tighten the cable attached to your wireless router. A loosened cable can impact speed performance.
- The location of your router can also influence speeds. Place your router in the center of your house to increase internet performance. Similarly, many common household devices and appliances can affect WiFi performance. Do not keep your router next to microwave ovens, gaming system remotes, baby monitors or Blue Tooth headsets.
- Try power-cycling your router. Just like we restart phones and laptops, sometimes power-cycling can resolve a simple issue.
- Depending on the size of your home, the WiFi signal may not reach every room. There are multiple network extender options available. Before purchasing anything, you can take a speed test online to compare internet speeds between rooms; just make sure you take the test on the same device – be it a laptop, tablet or mobile phone. If the speed results are significantly different between rooms, consider investing in a WiFi extender.
Of course if these simple troubleshooting tips do not help, it may be time to contact your internet service provider for support.
