Comcast And New Hampshire Officials Kick Off Year Two Of The Groundbreaking Internet Essentials Program Designed To Help Close The Digital Divide

NASHUA, N.H., Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Comcast today announced year two of Internet Essentials, an ambitious and comprehensive broadband adoption program designed to help close the digital divide among low-income Americans.  In its first full year of availability, more than 100,000 families, or 400,000 Americans, gained access to the Internet at home, and Comcast continues to enhance the program with new features and processes designed to accelerate enrollment in the program. 

Hundreds of families have signed on in New Hampshire alone with more families signing up each day.  Earlier today, Mayor Donnalee Lozeau of Nashua, Robert McLaughlin from the New Hampshire Department of Education and a variety of nonprofit partners joined with Comcast to kick off the second year of Internet Essentials in New Hampshire at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua.

"Broadband is a critical ingredient for academic success," said Virginia M. Barry, Commissioner of Education for the state of New Hampshire. "I appreciate the vision of local school departments such as the City of Nashua to support this initiative and encourage more families to get online.  And we are grateful to Comcast for being a valuable partner in not only offering this important Internet Essentials program, but by providing digital literacy training as well.  Having widespread Internet access in every home possible will ensure that our children have brighter opportunities in the future.''

"I'd like to congratulate communities across the Granite State for having made the Internet Essentials program such a resounding success," said Steve Hackley, Senior Vice President of Comcast's Greater Boston region.  "Cities like Nashua are helping connect their students and families to a stronger future of opportunities that will help increase success from an academic standpoint and help provide each family with new possibilities."

New in 2012:
Since Internet Essentials launched, Comcast has made a number of program enhancements including:

• Expanded eligibility criteria to include families with children eligible to receive reduced price school lunches under the National School Lunch Program.  This means nearly 300,000 additional households are now eligible for the program, bringing the total to 2.3 million eligible families;
• Doubled broadband speeds to up to 3 Mbps downstream and up to 768 Kbps upstream;
• Upgraded the free Internet safety software to include the Constant Guard Protection Suite, which includes top-rated Norton Security Suite, identity theft protection and more;
• Enriched digital literacy training efforts both online and in-person, including offering a series of short videos, featuring NBC and Telemundo news personalities Al Roker, Kate Snow, Jenna Wolfe and Jose Diaz-Balart, discussing how to use job search tools and social networking site as well as tips for what parents should know about cyber bullying;
• Streamlined the approval process by providing an instant approval process for all students who attend schools with the highest percentage of NSLP participation, which includes Provision 2 schools;
• Introduced a bulk order program that empowers community-based organizations to purchase Internet Essentials accounts so they can connect the eligible families they serve.

Internet Essentials Program Details:
Internet Essentials addresses three primary barriers to broadband adoption that research has identified – a lack of understanding of how the Internet is relevant and useful, the cost of a home computer and the cost of the Internet service.  Program participants receive:

• Residential Internet service for $9.95 a month plus applicable taxes;
• No price increases, no activation fees, or equipment rental fees;
• A voucher to purchase a low-cost computer for $149.99 plus tax; and
• Access to free digital literacy training in print, online and in-person.

A household is eligible to participate if it meets all of the following criteria:

• Is located where Comcast offers Internet service;
• Has at least one child who is eligible to receive a free or reduced school lunch under the NSLP;
• Has not subscribed to Comcast Internet service within the last 90 days;
• Does not have an overdue Comcast bill or unreturned equipment.

Comcast will sign up eligible families in the program for at least three years, through the end of the 2013-2014 school year.  Any household that qualifies during this three-year period will remain eligible for Internet Essentials if at least one child eligible for a free or reduced lunch remains living in the household.

In New Hampshire, Comcast is working with a growing network of community-based organizations, school districts, faith-based organizations, elected officials and others to spread the word about Internet Essentials and provide digital literacy training. In addition, since inception, Comcast has sponsored or participated in dozens of local events across the state to spread the word to those who could benefit from Internet Essentials.

For general information about Internet Essentials, please visit www.internetessentials.com for English, and visit www.internetbasico.com for Spanish. Educators or third-parties interested in helping to spread the word can find more information at www.internetessentials.com/partner. Parents looking to enroll in the program can call 1-855-846-8376 or, for Spanish, 1-855-765-6995.

About Comcast Corporation:
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communications products and services. Comcast is principally involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news, sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is one of the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone providers to residential and business customers. Comcast is the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, local television station groups, television production operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.

SOURCE Comcast Cable