‘Internet Essentials’ Grows to More Public Housing

Comcast said it has teamed with the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) ConnectHome initiative on a pilot that will extend the company’s Internet Essentials program to public housing residents in Miami, Nashville, Philadelphia and Seattle.

Internet Essentials, a voluntary commitment linked to Comcast's acquisition of NBCUniversal and originally designed for low-income families, provides high-speed Internet service (up to 10 Mbps downstream) to those who qualify for $9.95 per month, plus computer equipment (less than $150) and free Internet training. Comcast said Internet Essentials now connects more than 600,000 low-income families, and that 2015 was the program’s most successful year amid a 30% increase in enrolments over 2014.