Cox Communications, one of the nation’s largest cable TV companies, working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD), is now offering low-cost internet to any HUD-assisted household with school-age children within Cox’s 18-state service area — including Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Virginia.
This is big news. Really big news. Because it could bring low-cost home internet access to nearly 250,000 students from low-income families who would not otherwise be able to afford it.
How inexpensive? Cox’s Connect2Compete service will cost $9.95 per month for eligible families receiving HUD assistance. It includes downloads speeds up to 10 Mbps, free in-home WiFi, free installation and free access to hundreds of thousands of WiFi hotspots across the country.
Cox has been testing the ConnectHome affordable broadband program in coordination with HUD, local governments, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations in Meriden, Connecticut; Macon, Georgia; Baton Rouge, Louisiana and New Orleans, Louisiana. And now it is ready to roll it out in all 18 states in which it offers broadband service.
Cox executives and government officials gathered in Phoenix, Arizona’s Phoenix Landing Apartments to announce the project, to bask in the reflected glory offered by ConnectHome, to have their photos taken for the newspapers, and to puff themselves up for appearances on the nightly news.
Cox Communications President Pat Esser was there. “Technology and the Internet play an increasingly critical role in the education of our youth. Yet, students cannot take the Internet home in their backpacks,” he said. “We are committed to staying at the forefront of the Internet adoption movement. Through strong partnerships in the communities we serve, we will build more bridges to enable all families to cross the digital divide, regardless of where they live.”
HUD Secretary Julián Castro, never one to shy away from a television camera, felt obligated to say a few words.
“ConnectHome is expanding opportunity for our nation’s next generation of inventors, CEOs and artists,” Castro observed. “Today’s announcement will transform the lives of kids across the country, opening the door for students to live up to their full potential and not be limited in what they can achieve.”
After the executives and politicians cleared out, Cox representatives got down to work by hosting a Connect2Compete enrollment event at which residents were able to enroll in the program and schedule installation dates.
Through HUD’s ConnectHome program, low-cost broadband access, technical training, digital literacy programs, and computers are being made available to residents in HUD-assisted housing units in 28 pilot communities across the nation.
Here are a couple shocking statistics that demonstrate the importance of HUD’s ConnectHome project:
- Although nearly two-thirds of America’s lowest-income households own a computer, less than half have Internet access at home.
- 90% of college applications are now submitted online so low-income students without Internet access are frozen out of the process.
Cox has connected more than 160,000 low-income children to the internet since 2012.
More than half of low-income families who receive Cox Communications’ discounted Internet access have seen their children’s grades improve.
Cox has funded more than 75 Cox Technology Centers — places where low-income Americans can learn skills necessary to succeed in today’s high tech world — across its 18-state footprint.
Cox Business provides internet services to more than 7,400 schools and more than 4 million students.
We couldn’t be happier. Congratulations to Cox for introducing this vital project everywhere it does business. We predict that a lot of low-income Americans will never again be able to say the words “Cox Communications” without smiling.
Program Information: connect2compete.org/cox/
Press Release: hud.gov
Ashley Darwin says
How do i sign up?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Check the contact info provided on this page, Ashley. Before you enroll, though, you should check out all the other low-income plans, too. Who knows? You may even find one that fits your needs better. Check them all out here:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
carol cahoon says
i have guardianship of grandson, read through your restrictions and it said one cant have had internet within the past 90 days, I am currently paying 49.99/m for the internet and it is killling me, I had to take my grandson out of school and he will be doing the K12 online school, I am retired and only get 800/m and am sec 8 qualified……would I still be able to get the much reduced rate, I just recently found out about this program and had no idea it existed.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Since most cable companies have regional monopolies, it seems like you do not have any options for cable other than Cox (an assumption on our part because you left your comment on our Cox Cable page). If that’s the case, you need non-cable internet options and we have a couple.
Check out PCs for People at the following link. It’s a great option if you live within the Sprint national cell network:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Also check out 4GCommunity at the following link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-cost-internet-service
audrey goss says
my daughter name is on my paper work with comcast she has 2 grandchildren ages 12 and 9 we live in low rental she has a low income base can you help us
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We assume that you qualify, Audrey, but you should click on the “Low Income Internet” link at the top of this page. That’s a good place to start and hopefully find a program that is available where you live.
Jerry Cavins says
I would love to be able to have access to the internet any time I want it. Right now I’m paying thru. the nose for just a few hours a month thru. Freedompop but can’t afford better. These companies prey on old people that can’t help themselves [shame on them ] but whose to help us? not my dad he’s a hundred 130 years old not Donald Trump seniors are not his thing. Not OBama because the congress thinks he should be shining his shoes not his president.