Comcast is offering to help low-income families stay connected via the Internet amid the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
Thursday, the company announced that starting Monday, it would give new customers “60 days of complimentary Internet Essentials service, which is normally available to all qualified low-income households for $9.95/month,” according to a press release.
The release continued:
Also, we are increasing Internet speeds for the Internet Essentials service from 15/2 Mbps to 25/3 Mbps for all new and existing customers, which will be the speed of the service going forward. In this way, we will ensure that Internet Essentials customers will be able to use their Internet service for all their increased needs as a result of this health crisis.
Friday, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced that multiple Internet providers including AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile recently vowed to sign the agency’s Keep Americans Connected Pledge.
FCC Chairman Ajit Pai praised the Internet providers for their decision to join the effort and help American citizens keep in touch with their work, schools, and family members for the time being.
“They are stepping up to the plate and taking critical steps that will make it easier for Americans to stay connected during this pandemic and maintain much-needed social distancing,” he stated, then urged other companies to do the same.
“This may be a difficult time for our nation, but if we all work together, I am confident that we can rise to the challenge,” Pai commented.
Thursday, the Comcast Corporation said it was working with its governmental and nonprofit partners to spread the word about its plan.
“Our hope is that broader access and faster speeds will help all of our Internet Essentials customers more easily work from home, access educational resources, obtain important government health care alerts, and stay in contact with their families during this difficult time,” the release concluded.