Comcasts Internet Essentials program, an ambitious and comprehensive
broadband adoption initiative designed to help close the digital divide
for low-income Americans, today announced two new partnerships with the
U.S. Department of Labor and Connect2Compete. These partnerships will
help to further close the digital divide by providing information about
Internet Essentials digital literacy services to jobseekers and
offering low-income families a choice of computer equipment at an
affordable price.
We are excited to partner with the U.S. Department of Labor and
Connect2Compete to ensure we have information available about Internet
Essentials at American Job Centers and are able to offer affordable
computer equipment options for low-income families across the country,
said David L. Cohen, Executive Vice President, Comcast Corporation. As
the nations largest and most comprehensive broadband adoption program,
Internet Essentials is helping to level the playing field for hundreds
of thousands American families.
The U.S. Department of Labor, under Secretary Hilda Solis’ leadership,
has been committed to digital literacy. The new partnership with Comcast
will further that commitment by providing information about Internet
Essentials at American Job Centers across Comcasts 39-state footprint.
This follows on a partnership announced in July between Secretary Solis
and FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski where information for
Connect2Compete will be made available in American Job Centers
throughout the country.
“As more job postings and job training programs move online, it is
crucial that these resources remain accessible for all Americans, said
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. With strong partners like
Comcast, the Connect2Compete coalition is doing just that by improving
digital literacy, increasing broadband adoption, expanding free computer
access through public libraries and American Job Centers, and putting
low-cost, high value computer equipment within reach for thousands of
families across the country.
Comcast will also partner with Connect2Compete to offer Internet
Essentials customers an opportunity to purchase a low-cost, high value
desktop or laptop through its partner Redemtech, as an alternative to
the low-cost netbook currently made available directly through Comcasts
hardware partners.
These programs will be implemented over the course of the fall and
continue to leverage the combined audience and expertise of officials
from the government and non-profit sectors with Comcasts Internet
Essentials program.
Internet Essentials is available to families with children participating
in the National School Lunch Program across Comcasts service area,
which includes 39 states and the District of Columbia. Since the launch
of the program with back to school 2011, over 100,000 families or
400,000 Americans have enrolled, and over 11,000 discounted computers
have been distributed.
For general information about Internet Essentials, please visit www.internetessentials.com
for English and visit www.internetbasico.com
for Spanish. Educators or third-parties interested in helping to spread
the word can find more information at www.internetessentials.com/partner.
Parents looking to enroll in the program can call 1-855-846-8376 or, for
Spanish, 1-855-765-6995.
About Comcast Corporation:
Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com)
is one of the nation’s leading providers of entertainment, information
and communications products and services. Comcast is principally
involved in the operation of cable systems through Comcast Cable and in
the development, production and distribution of entertainment, news,
sports and other content for global audiences through NBCUniversal.
Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed Internet
and phone providers to residential and business customers. Comcast is
the majority owner and manager of NBCUniversal, which owns and operates
entertainment and news cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast
networks, local television station groups, television production
operations, a major motion picture company and theme parks.
