According to our calculations, millions of needy Americans who had been excluded from new cheap internet access programs may now be eligible. The only catch is that all the companies participating in the program would have to match Comcast’s new, expanded eligibility rules. And it’s our opinion that they should.
Comcast, the nation’s largest cable company, recently announced that it has expanded the eligibility for its “Internet Essentials” program. As a result, nearly 300,000 additional low-income households nationwide will now be eligible.
In the program’s first year, families were eligible only if they had a student who qualified for the national free school lunch program. Now Comcast has expanded the program to include families with students who qualify for reduced-price school lunches. According to Comcast, that increases the number of eligible households from 2 million to 2.3 million, an increase of 15%.
That number seems to correspond to national numbers. According to the U.S. Food and Nutrition Service, 16.5 million students participated in the free National School Lunch Program) and another 3.2 million students participated in the reduced-price lunch program in 2009.
The last three years have wreaked havoc on the nation’s poor and CheapInternet.com estimates that both numbers may have grown by at least 30%.
The inescapable conclusion is that more than 4 million additional students’ families would now be eligible for cheap internet access at home if all the companies that participate in the program would follow the lead of Comcast’s Internet Essentials and expand the eligibility guidelines.
Everything you need to know about Internet Essentials and other similar programs is explained in detail at CheapInternet.com, the nation’s leading source for information on the burgeoning cheap internet for the poor industry.
Times are tough and internet access has never been more important. That’s why we strongly urge all the other programs, national and local, to match Comcast’s efforts and expand the eligibility of their programs.
Laurine Eberhardt says
I’m on SSI ,My monthly income is $790.00. I don get food stamps, I love in my own home ,such as it is as I can’t afford repairs. I have a kindle and Roku Tv and that is my lifeline to the world. I now pay $50.75 a month so my Roku will work. 73 yrs. Is there any help for me?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
It sounds as if you qualify for several of the low-income internet plans, Laurie, but you will need to check them out to find out if any of them are available in your area. You can find more info on all the plans at this link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Truth inpot says
They offer to a very limited area with only school lunch and section 8 receipt-ant BUT not all low income senior, the limitation are so restricted and just in a few area , it is just another way of false advertisement.
Sandra mcnally says
I am on ssi can i get cheap int… Have no computer can i get cheap wifi in my home in manchester nh?
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We’ve already done all your homework for you, Sandra. You can find all the low-income internet plans, where they’re available, and what their eligibility requirements are at this link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Marshas says
If it was available in my area I would
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
Don’t get discouraged yet, Marsha. Check out all the low-income internet programs to find out if one of them is available in your area (and if you qualify for it). Here’s a link:
https://www.cheapinternet.com/low-income-internet
Rose Sanabria says
How about low income senior citizens? Will that ever be a possibility? It’s very hard to make ends meet when we have ever increasing rents and food prices keep rising. some of us are barely eating because we don’t have enough left over from our social security checks.
CheapInternet.com Administrator says
We hear you, Rose. We have high hopes that some (or all) of the programs will be expanded to include senior citizens in the near future. No one deserves it more.
Bonnie Bisiaux says
Hi..i have comcast with you in a senior community apartment. Complex off Hurley and morse ave…myself and my neighbor of 92 yrs needs cheap internet and so do i.i was told by someone we could qualify for xfinity essentials.we cant afford much..thank youBonnie Bisiaux
Grace says
I am a senior, on Medicaid program. I need internet service. Please help me find internet service ~
Walter says
Interesting, in a country that pretends going paperless and every player in economics uses the web, most seniors and low income citizens lack access to the web. Public Libraries are the only resource for most people in such segment of the population. The time limitation plus the service hours add to the obstacles that discourages searching the web. Are we inclined to maintain exclusions? As long as the Internet remains cost prohibitive Government Agencies and Public Businesses should be required to provide regular non internet access to information. Incredible but true that our country disregards reality pretending progress.
Howard says
Great, but I wish it was available for seniors.