Comcast to launch $10 internet service for low-income families

[mfcorey1]

snip

About the program
In order to qualify for the Internet Essentials program, a family must reside within a Comcast service area, have a clean billing record with Comcast, have no current internet service, and have at least one child who receives free lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP). Comcast is using the NSLP requirement to ensure that only low-income families are able to take advantage of the Internet Essentials option.

The service provided by Internet Essentials includes connection rates of up to 1.5 Mbps download and 384k upload. Those speeds won't break any kind of record, and wouldn't be very useful for things like streaming movies or online gaming, but they should be more than enough for homework and other online school activities.

http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/comcast-launch-10-internet-low-income-families-213445170.html

[Syrinx]

1. this doesn't make a lot of sense to me

To qualify for one program, you have to already be using another program.

It sounds like that free cell phone thing where you must be already getting food stamps to qualify.

In other words, I bet there's a catch.

[OneGrassRoot]

4. Question

Is it a bad thing that it's tied to another program? I ask that sincerely, as I don't know. :)

It seems it would be easier on the families, rather than having to go through even more stringent requirements to prove their need; instead they can provide proof of being in this program instead.

The "clean billing record" is likely problematic and will eliminate a lot of people who need this.

I think this program sounds good -- though I'm not a fan of Comcast at all. Other people need it, too, not just those with kids, but at least it's a start.

[Syrinx]

5. maybe so

Forgive me if I'm skeptical of Comcast doing anything out of the goodness of their heart. We'll see. :hi:

[OneGrassRoot]

6. No, I'm with you on the skepticism of Comcast.

;)

I thought perhaps something went bad with the cell phone program you mentioned, the one tied to food stamps.

:hi:

[liberalmike27]

2. Well

Breaks the hell out of none, or dial-up. Finally got my mother to upgrade over at her house. I think it was Colbert making his joke about the last woman in Vermont, an 84 year-old that still had dial-up that did it.

[PuraVidaDreamin]

3. Will they control the sites that can be accessed?

Is this a propaganda/ control the masses move?

[durablend]

7. Usual suspects up in arms

"Dam poor people need to be off in the sticks (out of sight) living in cardboard boxes, never mind getting cheap internet!!!! Dam them all to hell!!!!!!"

Should be a few supposedly on our side whining and bitching about it here soon enough...

[Cobalt Violet]

8. Gawd forbid people on free lunch stream movies or do online gaming.

Or parents of kids on School lunch rather . :eyes: