If there’s one complaint we hear most often here at CheapInternet.com, it is that none of the low-income Internet plans are available to families without children. Well, Comcast and its Internet Essentials program has taken a big step toward solving that problem.
Comcast and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (otherwise known as HUD) just announced a major expansion of the Internet Essentials program. Now adults living in HUD-assisted housing can get $10 per month high-speed Internet even if they have no children.
When we say this is a big expansion, it’s no exaggeration. As the highly-respected ArsTechnica.com said, “Up to 2 million HUD-assisted homes are now eligible for Internet Essentials; as 35 percent have children and were thus already eligible, the expansion adds another 1.3 million households.”
As we’ve noted here before, Comcast has been conducting a pilot program in which some low-income seniors and community college students were given access to the Internet Essentials program. What’s not clear is if this expansion is the result of those pilot programs or if those pilot programs have been concluded and additional expansions of Internet Essentials will include senior and college students who do not live in HUD-assisted housing projects. (Our fervent hope is that they will soon be included.) Nevertheless, this is a hopeful sign for seniors and students because this is the first time Internet Essentials will be available to adults without children.
Before you get too excited, please remember that this expansion will not be nationwide. Internet Essentials is only available in the 21 states, so it will be available only to HUD-assisted residents of those states. (You can see a complete list of states and cities covered by Comcast here.)
Another thing to keep in mind is that you will still need to meet a few eligibility requirements in order to qualify.
For example, Comcast customers with unpaid bills will NOT be eligible if their unpaid bill is less than one year old. In addition, you cannot enroll for Internet Essentials if you have subscribed to any paid Comcast Internet plans within the last three months. (This is a real sticking point for many of our readers who complain that it gives them the difficult choice of continuing to pay high rates on Comcast’s regular Internet plans or going without Internet for 90 days. It’s an unfortunate Catch-22 situation and we sincerely hope Comcast works out a compromise that solves the problem for its neediest customers.)
Comcast is the nation’s largest internet service provider and its reach and scope is staggering. Here’s a chart that shows you which cities and which states will be most impacted by this expansion into HUD-assisted families without children:
Many customers and advocates for America’s neediest citizens criticize Comcast for not doing enough for low-income Americans, and although we’ve taken a shot or two at Comcast over the years, we are also quick to pat Comcast on the back for its accomplishments. For example, a joint press release from HUD and Comcast called out some landmark achievements for Internet Essentials:
From August 2011 through December 2015, Internet Essentials has connected more than 600,000 low-income families, benefitting more than 2.4 million Americans, to the internet at home. Also since 2011, Comcast has invested more than $280 million in cash and in-kind support to help fund digital literacy training and education initiatives,reaching nearly 4.4 million people through national and local nonprofit community partners.
- Provided more than 47,000 subsidized computers at less than $150 each.
- Distributed for free nearly 51 million Internet Essentials program materials.
- Broadcast more than 8.3 million public service announcements, valued at more than $100 million.
- Welcomed 5 million visitors to the Internet Essentials websites in English and Spanish and its Online Learning Center.
- Fielded more than 3.9 million phone calls to our Internet Essentials call center.
- Made Internet Essentials available in nearly 48,000 schools in more than 5,000 school districts, in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
- Partnered with 9,000 community-based organizations, government agencies, and federal, state, and local elected officials to spread the word.
In addition, Comcast has continually grown the number of students eligible for Internet Essentials. It has expanded the number of schools in which every student is eligible for the program so long as a certain percentage of the kids in that school are NSLP [National School Lunch Program] eligible. In the early days of Internet Essentials, it required that 70% be eligible. That has been reduced to 50% some time ago, and it has now been reduced to just 40%. There’s no denying that that is an impressive track record. So impressive, in fact, that Comcast believes about half of the 48,000 schools across its service area now qualify for automatic enrollment.
This will do so much to help so many needy Americans. And on their behalf, we say, “Thanks, Comcast.”
Carol says
I am on low ssi income, I have mental disabilities and have to live with my parent, I do not have any children. Am I able to qualify for low income internet with out being in hud subsidized housing? I currently have Comcast internet but have a real hard time affording even the lowest level.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
There are a number of programs and they each have slightly different ways to qualify, Carol. Check them all out at the following link to find the plan that fits your needs best:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Kristen Bailey says
i went to comcast.com and got xfinity.com?? I am on HUD, no children, but disabled and in need of affordable internet. How do I access the comcast – hud – $10 internet deal?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We know this is going to sound crazy, but you cannot enroll in the Internet Essentials program because you’re a current Comcast customer. That leaves you with two options: (1) Terminate all your Comcast accounts for 90 days, at which time you will become eligible for Internet Essentials, or (2) Find another low-income internet plan that’s available in your area. Here’s where you can find all those plans.
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Pay particular attention to three plans: AT&T, PCs for People and 4GCommunity.
Pat ballard says
I live in tahlequah ok 24464. i am on hud 1w yr old 71 yr old. On advantage care, lot of health issues. do i qualfy and does it serve just 1 tv? i need it in my bed room and my daughters
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
It sounds as if you are looking for a low-income cable TV plan, Pat. If that’s the case, you’re out of luck because these plans all offer internet, but no TV. Please let us know if we’ve misinterpreted your comment.
Kathleen Lee says
I am 63 and live in maine and am paying 55.99 for just internet to have tv it would be close to $100.
my income is social security and live in subsidized housing.n
Am I eligible for your low incime internet?
Kathleen Lee
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Check out all the low-income internet plans at this link, Kathleen:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
You won’t qualify for all of them nor will all of them be available in your area. So check them out carefully.
Ann says
What is the reason for the 3 months ‘no Comcast internet subscription’ ?
What is the sense or logic or reasoning behind it?
Please explain.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
This is just a guess on our part, Ann, but it seems like a reasonable conclusion. All the low-income internet plans have this same rule, no matter which company offers them. We believe it’s a way for the companies to keep full-price customers from becoming low-price customers. We think it’s a crazy rule that harms consumers, but at this point in time that’s the way it is.
Anonymous Woman says
THERE IS NO REASONING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT MAKES ABSOLUTELY NO SENSE. THINK ABOUT IT. IF YOU ARE LOW INCOME AND BEING RIPPED OFF BY COMCAST THEY JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU SUFFER MORE BY MAKING YOU CUT OFF YOUR SERVICE FOR 3 MONTHS AND HAVE NOTHING IN ORDER TO GET ON THE LOW INCOME PROGRAM. NOW TELL ME WHAT MAKES SENSE ABOUT THAT??? NOTHING. ITS JUST RUNAROUND COMCAST NARROW MINDED BS.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Check out our low-income internet plague, Anon. Pay particular attention to PCs for People and 4GCommunity. They are not cable-based, so you could switch over to either of them with no wait (assuming, of course, that either of them are available where you live). Good luck.
Jeff Joseph Sr says
Why isn’t this available to Seniors living in Sec 8 housing nationwide. I pay $ 89 Dollars per month for Cox Cable TV/Phone/ 5 MBPS Internet. Ridiculously lousy TV selection.Impossible to download large files. My Income is $1496 Per MO. I pay $ 104 / MO for Medicare. If my income were $ 1350 I would qualify for a Medicare rebate of $ 104 Dollars / Mo. Why isn’t this Prorated to Seniors income. Coupled with the fact Seniors have had no Cost of living increase in three years under Obama.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We cannot answer your question, Jeff. We also wish seniors were eligible in exactly the way you describe, but they are not. We cannot understand why this group has been excluded,
nollan says
Dear, there are many young oeople who are not finding any job and wish if they have internet to help them and they are not student, also many poor senior people wish if they have free or cheap high speed wireless internet so I hope you also provide them with free cheap internet
Bernard La Chance says
Is comcast the same as time warner? Iam a senior. Liveing in lancaster,ca living i. Low income cola program
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
In April 2016, the FCC approved the marriage of Comcast and Time Warner (and Brighthouse too).
Kendra Mitchell says
Hello. I have a new home with my two boys (16 & 9).
We need the Internet Essentials by tomorrow for my boys to start school at Donegal on Monday.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
You need to call Comcast directly, Kendra. This is an independent website with absolutely no affiliation with any of the low-income service providers.
Ruth Funderburk says
How does one GET low-income internet?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Pretty simple, Ruth. (1) You need to qualify. The eligibility rules are a little different from company to company, so you’ll need to check them all out in this article:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Then you can check out all the plans available in your state here:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/states
jennifer says
what other company is in nj? I have a Comcast bill only 6 months, due to my income being cut $344, so I couldn’t afford the high bill that Comcast charged. I live in public housing with 2 children and we now don’t even have tv. whats another plan for new jersey?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Our “States” page shows all the plans available in each state. Here’s a link to make it even easier:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/states
Tracy Andrew says
Also, I am deaf and use Video Phone (VP) that is phone for deaf, people that use Sign Language…in order to use video phone you must have internet. I cannot do without internet, then I have no access to a phone…AAAHHH so unfair.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Can you use a computer and Skype or FaceTime instead of a phone? If so, check out the other programs discussed on our low-income Internet page. Here’s a link to make it easier. We hope one of them works for you. Pay particular attention to PCs for People because it doesn’t have the same restrictive requirements the others have. Here’s that link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Tracy Andrew says
This is good for those that have Comcast in their areas. I live in a HUD property in Texas, but do not have access to anything for low income. Not good. I need options.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Check out the other programs discussed on our low-income Internet page. Here’s a link to make it easier. We hope one of them works for you. Pay particular attention to PCs for People because it doesn’t have the same restrictive requirements the others have. Here’s that link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
bill arends says
if you get a free phone you should get free internet
federal program to pay for nation wide wireless internet would be a great idea. make providers bid for federal contracts
FREE WIRELESS FOR ALL
Liz says
Wonderful news! Let’s hope Cox will follow their example. Cox and AT&T are the only carriers here in Laguna Niguel, CA. I’m in a HUD supported condo and I don’t go to my doctor appointments at UCI, because I can pay for Internet or the transportation. I only have Internet, no tv, in my home, so I opt to keep it and forgo getting to the doctor. The Internet is a lifesaver for me, I do all my transactions on it!
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
It would be wonderful if all the other internet service providers followed in Comcast’s footsteps. You should take a look at another program called PCs for People, Liz. You can see more about it here:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
The good news is that you live in Orange County, a beautiful part of the country.