Comcast’s Internet Essentials program offers $10-per-month internet service to low-income households that have schoolchildren. The program was mandated by the federal government following Comcast’s acquisition of NBCUniversal.
Critics of the program have argued that it’s too difficult to sign up for and have suggested that the eligibility criteria be made less strict. It has also been suggested that further requirements should be implemented should Comcast’s attempt to acquire Time Warner Cable be approved.
In response to the complaints about the program, Comcast has announced that it will now provide “up to six months” of free internet service to new subscribers as well as an amnesty program for families that have unpaid bills.
The amnesty program will enable families who have unpaid bills to sign up for the Internet Essentials program, something they were unable to do previously as Comcast rejected applicants who had unpaid bills or unreturned equipment.
Comcast won’t be removing that policy entirely though, as the amnesty will only be offered to “customers who have an outstanding bill that is more than one year old”, those that don’t qualify will still be unable to sign up. “Comcast will offer amnesty for that debt for the purpose of connecting to Internet Essentials, so long as the customer meets all the other eligibility criteria,” Comcast said.
“If customers’ outstanding bills are less than a year old, however, then we would like them to settle that debt with us before they can be eligible to apply for the program,” Comcast Executive VP David Cohen wrote in a blog post. “We are willing to work with families whose debt is reasonable enough that they could pay us back in installments.”
Also, new Internet Essentials subscribers who are approved for the service between August 4 and September 20 will receive “up to six months of complimentary service”. Even families whose debt is being cleared away by the amnesty program will be eligible for the six months of free service.
Read more about the story at The Verge.
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