Comcast announced it has now connected more than six million low-income Americans to the Internet through its Internet Essentials program.
Internet Essentials is the largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program for low-income families in the U.S. (55% of program beneficiaries are Hispanic).
The company connected more than two million people in the last year alone, which is the largest annual increase in the program’s history.
“This program has had an enormous impact on millions of families and children who now have high-speed Internet at home, many for the first time in their lives,” commented David L. Cohen, senior executive VP and Chief Diversity Officer. “We’re excited to extend that same opportunity to more than one million, low-income veterans. Veterans have stood up for our country; now it’s time for us to stand up for them by providing access to life-changing digital tools and resources.”
Since 2011, Comcast has invested more than half a billion dollars to support digital literacy training and awareness, reaching more than 8.5 million low-income Americans.
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.
The company has also sold more than 85,000 heavily subsidized computers.