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Comcast Internet Essentials: Nearly Free Internet for Kids in 3 Million Poor Families

There’s a digital divide in this country that is leaving children from poor families behind those of the wealthy and middle class in the area of technology in the home. The gap is huge, with only 45% of families earning under $30,000 having broadband in the home. Without access to the internet, children, as well as their parents, are at a disadvantage in education, access to services and utilizing all the other information the rest of us take for granted. Just how can a child keep up with most of the other children who have internet access, computers and other technology? It can be very difficult.

So we are pleased to see that Comcast has rolled out their plan to bring the Internet to an estimated 2.5 – 3 million families that cannot afford the $40 – 60 the company charges for their lowest plan. The program is called “Internet Essentials” and while it is not free internet, it is only $9.95 a month and features a 1.5Mbps download speed. And a family will even be able to purchase a computer for only $149.99. There are no activation fees and no equipment fees. What a great deal this is for these children and their families.

To qualify for the program, all a family needs is to have at least one child who receives free (not discounted) school lunches via the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). If your child is not on it and qualifies, you’ll need to sign up. According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, a household of three would have to make less than $25,000 annually to qualify for the program. In addition, the fine print says that you cannot have been a Comcast internet subscriber in the last 90 days, and you cannot have any overdue Comcast bills or unreturned equipment.

Of course, you have to be in an area served by Comcast, But you’ve got a good chance, since Internet Essentials will be rolled out in more than 4,000 school districts in 39 states and the District of Columbia.

Upon enrollment, the customer will have the opportunity to purchase the “netbook-style” laptop computer for $149.99 plus tax. It runs on the Windows 7 Starter operating system, and has WiFi connectivity.

Once enrolled, a customer will be able to continue receiving Internet service for at the same low price as long as at least one child in their household continues to receive free lunches under the National School Lunch Program

Since the qualification for the program are based upon the National School Lunch Program, we at first thought that the program might be paid for through the Lifeline free phone service program for the poor, since NSLP is one of the qualifiers, but we are happy to say that there does not seem to be any government funding involved.

This may or may not have been a goodwill gesture on the part of Comcast, because the program is actually a result of the Comcast-NBC merger, in which one of the conditions was that the company agreed to “increase broadband deployment in low income households,” for a term of three years. We do not know if they plan to continue the program beyond that time.

To get started, call Comcast at 1-855-846-8376, or go to their website, Internet Essentials.

While Comcast is a great choice, please also click through this site all abound “Free and Discounted Broadband” to read about other free or inexpensive broadband plans that could be available to you.

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Comments

  1. Misty Y Green says

    I live at *** ********** Dr Corpus Christi, To. 78415. I live in public housing. Do u have broadband lifeline service in this area.

    • Free Government Cell Phones says

      We’re not Comcast, Misty. You need to contact customer service using the info provided in the article above.

  2. Heather Miller says

    I am a single mother with two children,wich they both need internet while at home to do there IXL and other activities for school.They both receive free lunches and i have seen so many advertisements where you can either receive free Internet or pay only $5 to $10 a month but i’m having trouble with finding the best one or getting an answer back from any of the companies ive reached out to if you could help me in any way with finding a free one or even a cheap one i would greatly appreciate it.Thank You So Much.

  3. mo oakley says

    my grand daughter is 14 and is in an alternative high school. ido not know if she gets lunches there but her family makes less than $25,000 a year. Can she still be eligible if her school does not offer lunches?

  4. Adrianne says

    This is the right webpage for anyone who would like to find out about this
    topic. You understand so much its almost tough to argue with you (not
    that I actually will need to…HaHa). Youu definitely put a new spin on a subject that has been written about for
    decades. Excellent stuff, just wonderful!

  5. Hilda says

    I quality foe safelink and I have a free phone, I don’t have a school age child on free lunch. I’m over sixty years old, I would like to know if I Quality for the all most free internet? Feel free to email me.

  9. Amar Altaweel says

    I really need a phone im a kid and my mom wants me to have a phone but she cant afford it please

  11. carole monette says

    what about those of us who are on disability and are essentially housebound
    especially in winter and have no children???

    • DEBBIE A. REID says

      HI CAROLE MONETTE, MY NAME IS DEBBIE A. REID AND I HAVE RESEARCH THIS QUESTION ON THE INTERNET SINCE MARCH,2011. I ALSO HAVE A DISABILITY AND MARCH 2012, IT WILL BE 3 YEARS WAITING FOR MY DISABILITY TO BE APPROVED. I HAVE NO CHILDREN AND I AM HOMEBOUND. I HAVE NOT FOUND ONE GOVERNMENT OR CHARTITY TO HELP ME!!!! IF YOU FIND ANYTHING TO HELP PEOPLE WITH OUR CIRCUMSTANCES: PLEASE E-MAIL ME AT ReidDebbie35@yahoo.com. I WILL SAVE YOUR INFO UNDER FAVORITES AND I WILL CONTACT YOU.

  12. Wow says

    Well thank you….! Maybe I can stop paying for high speed? I am try to find as much free stuff as I can get.

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