Comcast, the nation’s largest cable TV company, just announced that 1.2 million Americans have already signed up for Internet Essentials, the company’s low-price (just $9.95 per month), high-speed Internet service for the nation’s neediest citizens.
“1.2 million people is about the population of Dallas, Texas,” said David L. Cohen, executive vice president at Comcast, “or the entire state of Maine.”
Although that seems like an impressive number to many people, not everyone is happy. For example, a recent newsworks.org article complained that “two-and-a-half years after the $10-a-month service launched, most people who qualify for the program in Comcast’s hometown of Philadelphia still have not enrolled.”
It is estimated that a mere 12% of the families believed to be eligible for Internet Essentials have signed up. Surprisingly, in Philadelphia, Comcast’s hometown, only 9% of eligible households have taken advantage of the steeply discounted service.
Comcast’s Cohen thinks the critics should cut the company a little slack.
“Nothing would make us happier than to get broadband adoption in a low-income population equivalent to broadband adoption in the population as a whole,” he insisted. “That’s just going to take a long time.”
The critics, however, believe Comcast makes it tough for poor people to sign up for the discounted internet service.
Emaleigh Doley, a Philadelphia block captain, observes that there are “barriers of entry” such as the fact that current Comcast customers aren’t eligible for Internet Essentials. In fact, low-income families must go without cable service for 90 days in order to qualify for the Internet Essentials’ low monthly rate.
“It’s just a difficult choice, I think, that it’s asking people to make and it seems completely unnecessary, especially because people are already Comcast customers,” she notes. “Sort of seems like a slap in the face.”
Critics also point out three additional barriers: (1) You’re out of luck if you owe Comcast bill on an earlier account. (2) You cannot complete an application over the phone. And (3) Only homes with at least one school- aged child are eligible.

One of those vocal critics is Susan Crawford, a former aide to President Obama and author of the book “Captive Audience: The Telecom Industry and Monopoly Power in the New Gilded Age”.
“It just shows that this is not meeting a gaping human need for high-speed connectivity at a reasonable price,” she said.
A recent Pew study showed that 30% of mostly-poor American adults still don’t have a broadband access at home. The numbers are even grimmer for Latinos and blacks.
Crawford insists that Comcast uses Internet Essentials as a tool to achieve other goals.
“Internet Essentials is a terrific talking point for Comcast,” she said, “and a way for it to smooth over all the worries about monopolization and gouging and overcharging that we have in this country.”
Cohen disagrees, saying Comcast is doing everything it can to bridge the Digital Divide, the glaring gap between internet adoption rates among the nation’s rich and poor. He indicated that the company has backed Internet Essentials with remarkable $48 million worth of PSAs (public service announcements) and spent millions more to promote digital literacy classes.
The company’s doing its best to reach the communicate with the target audience according to Cohen and thinks the results are outstanding.
“The program is only two-and-a-half years old. I think we finally got our feet underneath us,” he observed. “We constantly look at whether there are other opportunities and other low-income populations. We did a pilot with AARP on older Americans last year.”
He said the company is also investigating ways to include former Comcast customers who would be eligible for Internet Essentials if they didn’t have a poor credit history with the company. What’s more, the company is trying to increase Internet Essential usage with special offers.
We side with Cohen and Comcast on this one. Helping 1.2 million low-income American families with low-cost, high-speed internet is no small accomplishment. We, too, wish more eligible Americans were motivated to participate, but let’s give credit where credit is due.
Great job, Comcast.
Jenna says
I tried to apply for Internet Essentials when I heard about it in August of 2015. First, they told me I had a Comcast balance of $350 attached to my phone number, which I have had for over 2 years. While my number may have been used in the past, they gave me a hard time when I asked them to please remove my number from that account and make a new customer account with the number. The biggest problem for me and I am sure many other people who are eligible for this service is not being able to get to the nearest Comcast location to provide photo ID to continue the application process and have the equipment shipped out. I asked the representative how their customers who cannot get there sign up and they said they don’t; without going to their physical location, you cannot become a customer. Honestly, it doesn’t matter how many programs, jobs, education, or family services they create–if the people in need are unable to access the service, it is not available to everyone.
Rickey Nguy says
How do I get Internet free or low rate for low income?
Thank you
Rickey
Naomi says
I’ve experienced the SAME nightmare with Comcast, impossible customer service, long wait times, at one point I spent an entire week just get through by phone and this is the SAME customer service people pay high prices for. I resorted to going in physically to get the matter straight and as a disabled person this was an painful excruciating exercise in futility as I was only directed to get my credit report in order to resolve the matter of the price gouging they engaged when I was as customer. I’ve been disputing the bill for 2 years now. I certainly meet the qualifications of the program, I have a school aged child eligible for free lunch and what’s standing in the way is a $260 bill that NOBODY can seem to explain for a person that only had basic service, cable/internet and RETURNED ALL EQUIPMENT. Now my account is lost in no man’s land somewhere with a collection agency they can’t even identify and determine which one. Seems to me if they REALLY wanted low income families to access the program they would offer PAYMENT arrangements to eliminate any outstanding bill and ALLOW access to the program. The requirement of 90 days without service is ridiculous as few people are going to 90 days without internet or television. Not allowing current customers to switch is also VERY telling where their priorities lie and it is certainly not with disenfranchised low-income families. Every time I talked about my story to any one they matched MY story with similar experiences with the price gouging and unexplainable spikes in their bills or even double billing. Comcast may be know for the best internet speed and access but they get a big fat zero in customer service. Worst ever that I encountered in 23 years of being online. I am just glad I found a website that helps people find internet cheap and hopefully I will be completely free of monopolizing entities like AT&T and Comcast. IMAO INTERNET SHOULD BE FREE TO ALL CITIZENS regardless of socio-economic status.
Jackdashack says
From what I read, you have to have a child in the house to apply? I am 65, live alone on a VA Disability Pension that is well below the income level considered poverty for 1 person per household. What would I need internet for you ask? I do all my banking online. One bank I use is USAA Banking which is for Veterans and there are no branches, it’s all online. All this is saving gas money and wear and tear on my vehicle and me. I often order necessaries online. I ordered paper towels and supplements. I now can access my VA medical files online, send secure messages to the care providers and order my meds all from the VA online. Am I reading this right? You have to have a dependent child in the house? “:-\\
Kathryn Scott says
I am low income and disabled and on various types of assistance. I’ve been arguing with Comcast for YEARS about my bill being jacked up WAY up. They would sell me some promo program without telling me it suddenly ends and then all the sudden my bill jumps to over $220.00 for expanded cable and internet. I’ve been telling them EVERY month for years that I am a low income disabled woman. I am usually bed-bound therefore the Television is my only source of information and entertainment. I don’t ever go out to eat not even fast food, I can’t afford to go on trips or anywhere. I’ve talked to supervisors, managers, taken names (which can’t be found again the following month) and was sent to Comcast’s “Loyalty Department”! HA! What a joke! I’ve been with Comcast since they first came here. A VERY long time now. Loyalty? They locked me into a rate that it more than they offer others in their mailers. As I said everyone at Comcast has been told that I’m very low income, disabled on SS etc. NO ONE EVER offered a discounted internet program. Not once not ever. Now I’m locked into an agreement for 2 years thanks to the supposed “Loyalty Department”. They screwed up my order, didn’t give me the channels I said I watched the most and failed to mention that there is a low cost internet service available! They did a bait and switch every month but especially when they locked me into a 2 year agreement. I’ve been so frustrated with them I’ve cried my eyes out on the phone arguing that my bill isn’t supposed to be over $240.00! It was supposed to be total of $89.99 total! I received 2 correct bills in the last 10 plus years. When I could work I didn’t call all the time. But when it came down to paying for food, electricity or cable, what do you choose? Of course food and electric. I decided to go with a Dish because it is far less expensive. But the “Loyalty” department at Comcast talked me into staying with a sweet deal. Still too expensive but somewhat manageable. However, when it kicked in, they gave me the wrong channels, no discount on my internet knowing I live on $730.00 a month. Why is it so hard for them to offer this low cost internet service when they are told I’m very low income?!! This is backwards. It’s like the more kids you have the better the benefits. What about us who feel responsible for over-population and our planet etc. who do not get free or cheap internet unless I have a child at home? I do have one child but he’s grown up now. I still need help. Problem is Comcast failed to tell me there are these programs out there. Maybe I could have gone to Century Link who are also in my area? Why is Comcast so greedy that they can’t offer this to their poorest Consumers especially one’s who’ve stayed with them for many years? This is ridiculous. Now I can’t get it because they tricked me into a 2 year deal. It was extortion really. I was so overstressed, having anxiety attacks while trying to get them to give me the bill that they each and every month “promised” it would be “from now on”.
Comcast is no leader in helping poor and disabled Americans!
I’m stuck! HELP!
Che says
Currently late on my bill, and now my Internet is moving so slow I can’t even open up spell check to correct my mistakes. SMH It’s not my computer either, just came out the box today. Why? Comcast stated it was not their service that was the problem, there must have been a problem with my computer. Well, this one is brand new, daughter won it for a an award for competing in a Writing contest. Computer still moving slow. Comcast needs to step up their service.
Che says
The reason why Comcast numbers are so low id because they do not ADVERTISE this like the rest of their promotions. How can a family sign up for a program when they are never aware that it exists? They did that to my family her in Ga. When I finally did find out from my caseworker when I had to report my bills. She noticed my family pay over $200 per month with on two TVs and box, Internet and Phone service. When I call Comcast to inquire they say I can not sigh up because I am already a customer. I had to sign up within our first 2 months of service. My husband and I have 8 children who are in school. These days technology is needed daily just for they to complete their assignments. So this is a service that we MUST have. If we are late and they decided to give us an extension, our service gets really bad. Internet moves slower, sound from TV keeps going in and out. The minute our bill is paid Internet back running like it should and everything else is working as well. This is why Comcast offers this service a few people are signed up.