Comcast on Thursday touted its discounted internet plan that has already connected nearly 12,000 more Chattanoogans to the information super highway since its start six years ago, helping to bridge a key difference among Chattanoogans in their ability to compete in today’s digital economy.
To help connect still more Chattanoogans, Comcast gave away another 50 laptop computers to students at Chattanooga Girls Leadership Academy and others Thursday and pledged $10,000 to Chattanooga’s Tech Town for programs to provide digital literacy to help more persons understand how to connect and use the internet.
“Comcast has played a defining role in shaping the future of media and technology, and we maintain an unwavering commitment to address the barriers to broadband adoption across the communities we serve,” Comcast Senior Vice President Tina Simmons told community leaders gathered at Tech Town to discuss ways to address the so-called digital divide between those with internet connections and those who don’t have such computer links.
Broadening broadband
Program: Comcast Internet EssentialsService: Low-cost monthly internet servicePrice: $9.95 a month for internet, laptop computers for $150Eligibility: Comcast subsidizes the service and offers Internet Essentials to any student at a Title 1 school, anyone who lives in public housing or any student receiving free or reduced school lunches.Reach: Since its start in 2011, Comcast’s Internet Essentials has helped 3 million low-income Americans gain internet access.Contact for service: Visit www.InternetEssentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376. Spanish-only speakers should call 1-855-765-6995.
Simmons said Comcast’s Internet Essentials is the nation’s largest and most comprehensive high-speed internet adoption program for low-income households. It provides low-cost internet service for $9.95 a month; the option to purchase an internet-ready laptop computer for less than $150; and access to free digital literacy training in print, online, and in person.